eli5: Why do autopsies take so long?

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I’m specifically recalling a case where a local mom woke up to find her 10 year old son dead. Perfectly healthy and just died in his sleep. 6 months later it was determined he died of an aneurysm. Did they just not suspect foul play? Would the autopsy have happened quicker if they had? Does the autopsy itself take a long time or is it a paperwork/political thing?

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Anonymous 0 Comments

One thing to recall on top of what other redditors have mentioned is that, like any job, autopsies are performed by skilled surgeons who might be in high demand for few in the field.
They could take awhile simply due to backup at the morgue – other bodies to be examined and in the order received.

TL;DR – there could be a line. After all folks are just DYING to get into the morgue

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