Can an embalmed body last 2 weeks?

Unfortunately, sometimes extenuating circumstances require a delay in burying the deceased. If you find yourself in this situation, then you may be wondering exactly how long funeral homes can hold the body before they must legally bury it. Since the matter varies from state to state, the answer can be complicated.

How long does it take for a dead body to turn into a skeleton?

Timeline. In a temperate climate, it usually requires three weeks to several years for a body to completely decompose into a skeleton, depending on factors such as temperature, humidity, presence of insects, and submergence in a substrate such as water.

What happens if you embalm a body too long?

Often times embalming may do too good a job at preservation, and, in fact, it may dry the tissues to the point of dessication, if left too long unburied or un-cremated. The longest I was forced to keep a deceased in the funeral home after embalming was seven weeks.

How long to keep a body in funeral home after embalming?

The longest I was forced to keep a deceased in the funeral home after embalming was seven weeks. The family was out of the country and was unable to return until that long a time had passed. The embalming was done well, and would have proceeded without incident if the funeral services had been more timely.

What is embalming and how does it work?

Embalming is a compromise or balance between the body being as natural looking as possible, and it being as well preserved as possible. That is part of the reason we describe embalming as temporary preservation so that people can have the sort of funeral they want.

What happens to a human body 3 days after death?

3-5 days after death — the body starts to bloat and blood-containing foam leaks from the mouth and nose. 8-10 days after death — the body turns from green to red as the blood decomposes and the organs in the abdomen accumulate gas. Several weeks after death — nails and teeth fall out. 1 month after death — the body starts to liquify.