Their was a recent article from Allendale, SC about Cave Funeral Services where the funeral home admitted to cutting off a man’s legs so the body would fit into a normal length casket. Apparently the deceased was 6’7” and would not fit into the casket. Of course the family sued and settled and the State revoked their funeral license.

What is the least noticed item about this event is that it is commonplace in the industry to do whatever it takes to make a deceased presentable for visitation periods. Even though it is certainly our of the ordinary to remove limbs, it is not out of the ordinary to break bones and otherwise mutilate a body just so it will look presentable. 

Part of the embalming process ritually mutilates the body. A hole is drilled into the abdomen and a trocar is inserted. The sole purpose is to remove all of the moisture from the internal organs. Essentially all of these organs are sucked out of the body as just one of the normal parts of the embalming process. Eyelids are glued shut and mouths are stapled together all for the presentation of the body. Yet, these are not called mutilation. An attempt is made to replace all blood with a concoction of preservatives for the sole reason of making the body presentable. 

So even though cutting off legs is on the extreme end of body mutilation, it still happens with every instance of embalming.