What should I do if I find a bag by the road that I'm concerned it's a dead body?
What should I do if I find a bag by the road that I'm concerned it's a dead body?
So I was walking and found this garbage bag that had flys on it and it was tied up. I kicked at it a bit and it did feel like something limp was in there like it was dead. Tried to untie it as well so might have my fingerprints on it. But yeah a car came up and was yeah someone actually concerned for me and he's like I'm going to pray for you man. So that right there just got me to stop looking any further at the bag. But I'm still kinda of interested if I should've said something right then and there. My phone was almost dead anyway. But yeah I was thinking maybe I might find a dead body maybe a part of a dead body. I didn't look any further but it was out of place I felt. Should I report such finds?
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Call 911, tell them where it is, explain that you found a trash bag somewhere and you're concerned it has a dead body in it, don't disturb it any more than you already have
I work in 911 dispatch, from my end of things this is a very straightforward call. Verify your location, one or two short lines of notes, send a cop out to check it out.
I've taken a few calls like this, luckily it's always just been trash or at worst a dead animal.
One time the responding officer found some bones in the bag and was pretty sure they weren't human, but called out our on-call coroner to be sure who confirmed that it was just a deer or something.
Similarly I once had a call from an off-duty coroner reporting a "strong smell of decomp" from the woods near a gas station or something. I guess if anyone would know it would be them. Sent a cop out, sure enough, it was a dead deer.
It's very rare that anything like this is ever as exciting as your imagination makes you think it might be. Still, always better to call if you're unsure.
Honest question, you seem like a great person to ask.
In the event fingerprints weren’t a issue…
What would be the best way go about this anonymously?
If you really want to remain anonymous for some reason, call from a payphone (they still exist,) use a burner phone, borrow a phone from a random passerby, wear a mask so no one can recognize you in case there's security cameras, make sure you're not seen getting into your own car or walking home, change your clothes somewhere in the middle, etc.
If you call from your own phone number, if we and/or the cops care enough, it's not all that hard to get phone records and get your info.
But I'm also going to let you in on something- we're not going to care. The cops may have a couple follow up questions for you (like maybe "how often do you walk this way," "so they can try to establish how long it's been there,) that I'm probably not going to ask on the initial 911 call. My job isn't to take a full report and investigate and interrogate everyone, my job is to make sure cops are sent out to do all of that, and if you don't give us a way to contact you back, you're making it harder for them to investigate the incident.
And why? They're not going to tell anyone who the random passerby was who found the bag, they're not going to try to blame it on you, and honestly wanting to remain anonymous probably makes you sound a lot more suspicious than if you just gave your name and they're probably going to put more effort into figuring out who you were and trying to drag you in for questioning than they would have otherwise.
Thanks for this. Helpful comment.
Question: Can someone report anonymously to a non emergency number?
I mean I get you probably shouldn’t call animal control or something, but if someone just really does not want to involve themselves with police/emergency services, is there a better option?
I helped open a community center in my hometown. We had more than a handful of volunteers who were brought up with a “no 911” mindset.
I guess I’m just curious if there’s an option for folks who are just flat out opposed.
Pay phone is anonymous answer, but the finger condom requirement will likely yield laziness.
So there's 2 aspects to this
What cops theoretically could do if they're properly trained and motivated and working on the crime of the century with the media and mayor's office breathing down their neck
And there's what they're actually going to do for anything else.
Theoretically it's almost impossible to be truly anonymous in the world we live in today. If you make a phone call, there's phone records the cops can get access to, security cameras everywhere, if you call from a deactivated cell phone or take out your SIM card they can try to get the the IMEI number and see who that phone was last registered to, if you submit something online they can try to trace your IP address, etc. they can try to track down witnesses who may be able to ID you, etc.
Basically none of that is ever going to happen just to trace down a witness that called 911 who's probably not going to be cooperative anyway. People watch too many CSI TV shows.
And good luck trying to get cops to try getting fingerprints for anything short of murder, and even then they're going to be looking for the suspect, not a random passerby who called it in. They're also probably not going to get useful prints off a payphone because 10,000 people have probably had their fingers all over that phone since the last time someone bothered to wipe it down. And if your prints aren't already in the system, they're not going to be able to tie them to you anyway (although from the way you're talking about it I suspect a lot of people probably have previous records and been fingerprinted)
The practical answer is call from the payphone, call from a deactivated phone without a sim card, call from a borrowed phone, call from a TextNow or similar service number. That is more than enough anonymity that in all but the most extreme serious crimes the cops aren't going to put in any real effort to try to track you down as a witness. They may put in a little more effort if they think you're a suspect, but it's usually pretty clear if that's the case. Most of the time, they're probably not even going to bother looking up the phone records even if you call into the station from your own number.
If the department has it, you can also try an anonymous tip line or submit the tip online. Those may not be checked very often, so I wouldn't necessarily count on that if you have an emergency you want to be addressed quickly.
Really, just call, they're not trying to bust people for other stuff for calling in an emergency, they're not ratting people out as the one who called, that's all counter productive and just makes more work for themselves in the long run. Make the call and leave the area if you want, we can't make you stay there and you should have at least a few minutes to skedaddle before the cops show.
Edit: call from a nearby business' phone or a borrowed cell phone, and just don't leave your name and try to stay off a security camera while you're doing it. Unless you're really distinctive looking, odds are the person who let you use the phone is probably not going be able to give much of a description of you if cops ask for some reason
Back in the day a Payphone if you can find one.
Now I am not sure if their is a way anymore.
They send violence to those that ask for help. They'll do no different for you.
What an unhelpful reply.
In that case I recommend you call law enforcement and learn the hard way. It's better than the alternative of continuing as you are.
Wtf are you on about? I asked how to anonymously get a dead body removed. Who the hell said anything about calling the cops?
You do get that cities offer more services to their residents than just policing? And that 911 operators can contact multiple services for support? Not just the police?
If there’s anonymous way to get a fucking dead body out my lil daily sphere of interaction, you’re god damn right I’d like to know about it.
Don’t you fucking paint my question with your bullshit asshole. Provide a useful reply or shut the everliving fuck up.
You sound like a pretentious cunt.
“DON’T ASK FOR HELP WITH DISPOSING OF A FETID ROTTING CARCASS OR THE COPS MAY KILL YOU. LEAVE THE CARCASS. ITS YOUR CARCASS NOW. IF YOU DONT HAVE YOUR CARCASS WHEN THE COPS COME ROUBD YOURE GONNA BE IN DEEP SHIT”
Where the fuck do you live that you don’t ask for help in disposing of dead material? Human or otherwise?
They send violence to those that ask for help. They'll do no different for you.
Don’t you fucking paint my question with your bullshit asshole. Provide a useful reply or shut the everliving fuck up.
Uh what? Take a break from the internet.
I’ll repeat, I am not the one who brought the topic of the police into the this thread.
I simply asked a 911 Operator for information on anonymous reporting.
I’m not one misreading comments, ergo, I don’t believe I’m the one who needs a break…
But I applaud your condescension & reductivism… very constructive.
You flipped the fuck out over a response. Even hit them with the caps lock. You really can't see how unstable you look.
No. I didn’t. My face ain’t red. My fingers ain’t shaking. There’s no sweat on my brow.
I vociferously, and rather profanely, refuted a willfully ignorant comment.
Why? Because willfully ignorant comments are fucking stupid.
You’re the one trying to defend your dumbass perspective. Sounds like you might be getting a lil angry there pal.
Unhelpful because it happens so frequently?
Police can lie. And because OP has added to the potential crime scene, they are now a potential person to interrogate.
Do it anonymously.
Will you please re-read my comment? I specifically asked how to report it anonymously & in no way mentioned the police.
Please please please use some basic cognitive skills here.
Everything a personal attack for you?
Personal? WHAT A TIRED FUCKING ARGUMENT…
If you can’t type in all caps, while swearing profusely, without your blood pressure raising, that’s your limitation friend, not mine.
I am completely fine talking your ass in circles all fucking day if you’re going to persistently talk out of your ass, bringing disingenuous comments to a conversation.
This isn’t personal at all, I’d just rather you waste your time trying to defend your ignorance with me, rather than foisting it upon someone else.
See? It’s Altruism!
Help me understand then.
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You asked a question.
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They replied, "Cops can lie".
Your reaction was a long reply attacking the person. Then you continue this in multiple comments when people point it out?
And you cannot see how fucking unhinged you look?
Listen Chudwick,
Can I call you that or would you prefer something different? Chud-o-Rama? Chudski? El Chuderrino?
I can stick with Chuds, if you’re into the whole brevity thing…
I asked a question of a 911 operator, a direct question mind you, about how to anonymously dispose of a dead body. Full fucking stop.
No mention of cops. None.
Now, the reply I get insinuates that the police are bad. A pretty well established fact around these parts, wouldn’t you agree?
It’s true, sure, but it in no way brings any of us any closer to knowing how to anonymously report a dead body.
Given that I specifically asked how to report a dead body ANONYMOUSLY…. where would the idea I’m suggesting police involvement even come from?
Not me? I didn’t add police involvement to this equation? I asked simply and plainly about anonymous reporting.
Ergo, I replied pointing out that the police insinuation comment was un-fucking-helpful.
If you asked Google “How do I call in a dead body anonymously” & Google replied, “DON’T. THE COPS WILL FUCKING KILL YOU” you might have a pretty healthy meme to post, but you sure as shit don’t have a fucking answer.
If you can’t connect these dots, I’ll say it like this:
Inserting police brutality into a conversation that has nothing to do with police brutality is willfully ignorant. The only purpose of doing that, at least one that I can logically follow, would be to derail the conversation & co-opt the topic to spread your own message.
My next message is the one you seem so tuned into, but that was reply to the doubled down stupidity. Fire what it’s worth, that was a kinda fun message. I admit I kinda like getting uppity with someone who is willfully trying to derail my questions.
Now, you are more than welcome to refute this comment. In fact, if you’re having fun, please continue. I wouldn’t want to take these gleeful precious moments from you.
But… I don’t think you have a fucking leg to stand on.
…unless you know how to dispose of that leg anonymously.
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