What is a final and positive sign of death?

The final and positive sign of death is generalized decomposition. This stage indicates that the body has begun to break down significantly after death, a process influenced by various factors such as temperature, humidity, and the environment. Decomposition leads to the breakdown of tissues and organs, culminating in the total disintegration of the body's structures. Once a body has reached this advanced stage of decomposition, it is unequivocally clear that death has occurred.

It is essential to note the other signs of death, such as rigor mortis, which refers to the stiffening of the muscles after death, and livor mortis, the pooling of blood due to gravity after the heart has stopped beating, both of which can occur within hours of death and may not indicate finality. Pallor mortis, the paleness that occurs shortly after death due to the cessation of blood circulation, is also an early post-mortem change. These earlier signs indicate death has occurred but do not represent the irreversible and comprehensive nature of generalized decomposition.