In this episode of Mayhem in the Morgue, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns discusses coffin birth, the rare postmortem phenomenon formally known as postmortem fetal extrusion. He explains how human decomposition creates gases, bloating skin, skin slippage, purge fluid, maggot activity, and other artifacts that can change the body after death and sometimes mimic trauma, sexual assault, or other evidence. He also discusses the Shanann Watts and Laci Peterson cases to explain how coffin birth is evaluated and why it must be distinguished from live birth or other possibilities.



Highlights

(0:00) Welcome to Mayhem in the Morgue with Dr. Kendall Crowns

(0:15) Coffin birth, decomposition gases, and the autopsy artifacts that can complicate a death investigation

(0:45) What happens after death: autolysis, putrefaction, and the bacteria already waiting inside the body

(2:30) Why decomposition smells so distinct, from rotten eggs and stale urine to rotting fish and foul garlic

(4:00) Dr. Crowns remembers his first decomposed body during medical school in Wichita, Kansas

(8:15) Inside the morgue with flies, maggots, maggot masses, and the daily reality of decomposition cases

(11:45) The Cook County decomposition morgue, the air-handling problem, and one doctor’s very questionable workaround

(18:00) Bloating, skin slippage, brighter tattoos, and the forensic details that can help or hinder identification

(19:30) When decomposition mimics trauma: ruptured scars, gaping wounds, and the risk of misreading the body

(21:15) Purge fluid, mistaken sexual assault concerns, and the importance of separating artifact from evidence

(24:00) Dr. Crowns explains postmortem fetal extrusion, also known as coffin birth, through the Shannan Watts case

(25:00) Laci Peterson, fetal separation, and why coffin birth must be carefully distinguished from live birth or other possibilities



About the Host:

Dr. Kendall Crowns is the Chief Medical Examiner for Travis County, Texas, and a nationally recognized forensic pathologist. He has led death investigations in Travis County, Fort Worth, Chicago, and Kansas. Over his career, he has performed thousands of autopsies and testified in court hundreds of times as an expert witness. A frequent contributor to Crime Stories with Nancy Grace, Dr. Crowns brings sharp medical insight and dark humor to the often-misunderstood realities of forensic pathology.



About the Show

Mayhem in the Morgue takes listeners inside the bloody, bizarre, and often unbelievable world of forensic pathology. Hosted by Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns, each episode delivers real-life cases from the morgue, the crime scene, and the courtroom. Expect gallows humor, hard truths, and unforgettable investigations.



Connect and Learn More

Learn more about Dr. Kendall Crowns on LinkedIn and follow Mayhem in the Morgue on TikTok at @mayheminthemorgue. Catch him regularly on Crime Stories with Nancy Grace and be sure to follow Mayhem in the Morgue wherever you get your podcasts.



If you like this episode, don’t keep it to yourself; follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a review.

In this episode of Mayhem in the Morgue, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns discusses coffin birth, the rare postmortem phenomenon formally known as postmortem fetal extrusion. He explains how human decomposition creates gases, bloating skin, skin slippage, purge fluid, maggot activity, and other artifacts that can change the body after death and sometimes mimic trauma, sexual assault, or other evidence. He also discusses the Shanann Watts and Laci Peterson cases to explain how coffin birth is evaluated and why it must be distinguished from live birth or other possibilities. 
Highlights
(0:00) Welcome to Mayhem in the Morgue with Dr. Kendall Crowns
(0:15) Coffin birth, decomposition gases, and the autopsy artifacts that can&nbsp;complicate a death investigation
(0:45) What happens after death: autolysis, putrefaction, and the bacteria already&nbsp;waiting inside the body
(2:30) Why decomposition smells so distinct, from rotten eggs and stale urine to&nbsp;rotting fish and foul garlic
(4:00) Dr. Crowns remembers his first decomposed body during medical school in&nbsp;Wichita, Kansas
(8:15) Inside the morgue with flies, maggots, maggot masses, and the daily reality of&nbsp;decomposition cases
(11:45) The Cook County decomposition morgue, the air-handling problem, and one&nbsp;doctor&rsquo;s very questionable workaround
(18:00) Bloating, skin slippage, brighter tattoos, and the forensic details that can help&nbsp;or hinder identification
(19:30) When decomposition mimics trauma: ruptured scars, gaping wounds, and&nbsp;the risk of misreading the body
(21:15) Purge fluid, mistaken sexual assault concerns, and the importance of&nbsp;separating artifact from evidence
(24:00) Dr. Crowns explains postmortem fetal extrusion, also known as coffin birth,&nbsp;through the Shannan Watts case
(25:00) Laci Peterson, fetal separation, and why coffin birth must be carefully&nbsp;distinguished from live birth or other possibilities 
About the Host:
Dr. Kendall Crowns is the Chief Medical Examiner for Travis County, Texas, and a nationally recognized&nbsp;forensic pathologist. He has led death investigations in Travis County, Fort Worth, Chicago, and&nbsp;Kansas. Over his career, he has performed thousands of autopsies and testified in court&nbsp;hundreds of times as an expert witness. A frequent contributor to Crime Stories with Nancy Grace, Dr. Crowns brings sharp medical insight and dark humor to the often-misunderstood&nbsp;realities of forensic pathology. 
About the Show
Mayhem in the Morgue takes listeners inside the bloody, bizarre, and often unbelievable world&nbsp;of forensic pathology. Hosted by Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns, each episode&nbsp;delivers real-life cases from the morgue, the crime scene, and the courtroom. Expect gallows&nbsp;humor, hard truths, and unforgettable investigations. 
Connect and Learn More
Learn more about Dr. Kendall Crowns on LinkedIn and follow Mayhem in the Morgue on TikTok&nbsp;at @mayheminthemorgue. Catch him regularly on Crime Stories with Nancy Grace and be sure&nbsp;to follow Mayhem in the Morgue wherever you get your podcasts. 
If you like this episode, don&rsquo;t keep it to yourself; follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a review.

Nancy Grace dives deep into the day’s most shocking crimes and asks the tough questions in her new daily podcast – Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. Nancy Grace had a perfect conviction record during her decade as a prosecutor and used her TV show to find missing people, fugitives on the run and unseen clues. Now, she will use the power of her huge social media following and the immediacy of the internet to deliver daily bombshells!

Theme Music: Audio Network

Crime Stories with Nancy Grace

Nancy Grace dives deep into the day’s most shocking crimes and asks the tough questions in her new daily podcast – Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. Nancy Grace had a perfect conviction record during her decade as a prosecutor and used her TV show to find missing people, fugitives on the run and unseen clues. Now, she will use the power of her huge social media following and the immediacy of the internet to deliver daily bombshells!

Theme Music: Audio Network

Mayhem in the Morgue: Coffin Birth 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/f63e5605-dc89-4d6d-aa27-b478011906ae/transcript