A man tragically experienced what is described as the ‘worst death imaginable’ after an incident in New York that involved him falling down a manhole.
Dr. Judy Melinek, a former medical examiner, has recounted some of the most harrowing cases she has encountered throughout her career.
In her book titled “Working Stiff: Two Years, 262 Bodies, and the Making of a Medical Examiner,” co-authored with her husband, T.J. Mitchell, Melinek shares some of the most shocking experiences from her professional life.
When asked by people, ‘What’s the worst way to die?’, Melinek typically responds, “You don’t want to know.”
If pressed further, she shares the story of Sean Doyle.
Dr. Melinek revealed that conducting Doyle’s autopsy led to some of the ‘worst nightmares [she] ever had’.
The tragic event took place in 2002 when Doyle was out drinking with a friend and the friend’s partner.
During their journey home, an argument ensued as Doyle’s friend accused him of flirting with his girlfriend.
The confrontation escalated, and Doyle’s friend ended up pushing him down a manhole with an 18-foot drop.
Doyle survived the fall with minor injuries, but unfortunately, he fell into boiling water from a ruptured mains pipe.
Emergency services responded to the scene, discovering that the manhole was filled with steam at 300°F.
Upon examining Doyle’s body, Dr. Melinek found no broken bones or head injuries, but extensive burns.
Doyle’s body temperature was recorded at 125 degrees (51C), but it was likely higher since the thermometer’s maximum was 125 degrees.
The outer layer of his skin had detached, and his internal organs were severely damaged.
Dr. Melinek described Doyle’s condition as appearing as if he had ‘been steamed like a lobster’.
The New York Times reported that the individual who pushed Doyle faced charges of second-degree murder.
“The worst nightmares I ever had in my two years at OCME came after I performed the postmortem examination of Sean Doyle,” Melinek stated.
Additionally, Dr. Melinek offers a cautionary note in her book for those living alone with cats, suggesting they might be better off with a dog.
“Your faithful golden retriever might sit next to your dead body for days, starving, but the tabby won’t,” she wrote.
“Your pet cat will eat you right away, with no qualms at all. I’ve seen the result.”