Forensic pathologist explains how Brian Laundrie’s body skeletonised so quickly

Dental records had to be used to identify remains found last week that were later confirmed to be Laundrie's

A forensic pathologist has explained how Brian Laundrie's body was able to decompose so quickly. Laundrie's skeletal remains were found in Florida's Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park on October 20 and were identified using dental records. However conspiracy theories have been flying around online ever since the discovery of his remains, with people questioning the condition of the 23-year-old's body. Some have suggested that the length of time between his disappearance and the discovery of his body means there was not enough time for the body to decompose to the extent that only bones were left. This has led to wild theories that the bones were in fact planted at the scene and others going as far to say that Laundrie is still alive and well. In answer to these theories, a forensic pathologist on TikTok has explained how, in certain conditions, human remains can skeletonise at a much quicker rate than they usually would. Speaking on his channel The Dead Letter, Dr Wolf says he "felt the need to comment" on the case in order to clarify some things. He explains how factors such as temperature, the number of insects and animals in the area and even the amount of sunlight can all affect how quickly a body decomposes, saying: "You can’t just Google ‘how long does it take for a body to decompose?’ and get a correct answer, because there are so many variables."

@the_dead_letter#greenscreen #learnontiktok #fyp #news What can happen to remains.♬ original sound - TheDeadLetter

Often quoting from his Medicolegal Investigation of Death textbook, he explains how it's not unheard of for a body to skeletonise so rapidly. Dr Wolf uses the example of the homicide case of a 13-year-old girl from Mississippi, "whose body became almost completely skeletonised within ten days during late summer." Laundrie's remains were found in a "fairly warm climate" with "lots of bugs, water, lots of animals" meaning that the condition of the body would not have been surprising to pathologists on the case. He added that body identification using dental records is "very reliable." Related links:

• Brian Laundrie parents ‘to cremate body with no funeral’ amid mystery over cause of death
• How did Brian Laundrie’s parents find his remains in a few hours?
• At least seven bodies have been found in search for Brian Laundrie