What Does an Unattended Death Mean for the Family of the Deceased?



If you’ve ever read a newspaper or watched a crime drama, you have probably heard the term unattended death. But what does unattended death mean? An unattended death occurs when a person dies and is not found for days, weeks, or even months. This sometimes happens when someone commits suicide or when a person dies who does not have friends or family nearby to check on them.

What Does Death Cleanup Mean?

Once an unattended death is found and reported to the proper authorities, it is usually up to the family to clean up the scene. This can be problematic for a couple of reasons:

  1. The disturbing nature of decomposition. After death, the body releases bacteria from the intestinal tract, causing the corpse to bloat and decay at a rapid rate. No one should have to see a loved one in this state.
  2. Health and safety hazards. The airborne bacteria and biological material that a body releases after death can be extremely hazardous to those at the scene and can negatively affect the safety and well-being of future occupants if the home is not properly restored. In fact, even the smallest amount of biological material can result in serious physical damage within the home and can begin affecting a home’s livability within a few hours.

Thanks to bioremediation companies – whose job it is to fully clean, sanitize, and deodorize the scene of an unattended death – you are not alone in this trying time. Bioremediation professionals possess all of the tools, licenses, and protective gear needed to complete a cleanup thoroughly and safely. Some of these processes used include:

  • Hospital-grade disinfectants
  • Enzyme solvents
  • Our proprietary BioWash process
  • Biohazard waste containers
  • Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) fluorescence testing to verify sanitation level

Aftermath provides unattended death cleanup services to families and property managers throughout the United States, and our technicians are available 24/7 to assist you. So, what does unattended death mean? It means that you should call Aftermath for help.