Which postmortem change typically begins in the first 6-12 hours?

Livor mortis is the postmortem change that begins within the first 6-12 hours after death. This phenomenon refers to the pooling of blood in the dependent areas of the body due to the cessation of circulation. When the heart stops beating, blood no longer circulates, and gravity causes it to settle in the lower parts of the body, creating a distinctive purplish discoloration of the skin in these areas.

This process can provide valuable information about the position of the body at the time of death and the timing of death itself. The onset of livor mortis typically begins as early as 30 minutes to 2 hours after death but becomes more pronounced and established within the 6-12 hour timeframe, making it a key indicator for forensic experts when establishing time of death.

Other changes like rigor mortis, which is the stiffening of muscles due to biochemical changes in the body, typically begins a bit later, around 2-6 hours postmortem. Putrefaction, or the decomposition of the body due to bacterial action, starts later still and can take a few days to become noticeable. Pulmonary edema occurs in certain medical conditions but isn't a standard postmortem change that can be timed accurately like