Trigger Warning: This article contains disturbing details about an accident and death. Reader discretion is advised.
Ever heard of burns that can be life-threatening? Well, we will tell you a story. To begin with, death, the only inevitable part of our life, is uncertain, painful, and personal—very personal. Nobody would understand this feeling better than medical professionals who have worked day in and day out at hospitals dealing with ailing patients. While most of these cases are part of the profession, doctors get equipped for them as they mold themselves with higher emotional strength.
Some cases are too severe to be forgotten. Dr. Judy Melinek, a New York City medical examiner who works as a forensic pathologist, has seen her fair share of death. However, one case in particular still haunts her to this day. In her 2014 book, ‘Working Stiff: Two Years, 262 Bodies, and the Making of a Medical Examiner,’ Dr. Melinek recounts some of the most disturbing scenes she encountered during her time at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
Medical examiner Dr Judy Melinek has seen some horrific things during her time dealing with death, but one case sticks out more than the rest – the man who was boiled alivehttps://t.co/JkKvMDW4Y9
— Irish Daily Mirror (@IrishMirror) May 27, 2025
As per The Mirror, the New York City medical examiner revealed that early in her training, a chief resident had warned her that New York City had “all kinds of great ways to die.” While this can be a complex statement for a layman to understand, the statement shaped the outlook of her career.
“The worst nightmares I ever had in my two years at OCME (Office of Chief Medical Examiner) came after I performed the postmortem examination of Sean Doyle,” she said. Reportedly, Doyle was a bartender in the city at a place named Big Apple, and he was out drinking. This was a case from 2002 involving his friend Michael Wright and Wright’s girlfriend.
At some point, an argument flared. When Wright allegedly believed Doyle was making a move on his partner, what happened next was absolutely tragic. While the exact sequence of events remains unclear, what is known is that Doyle somehow ended up falling roughly 18 feet down an open maintenance hole. At the bottom, he landed in a pool of boiling water leaking from a broken main.
Even though Sean Doyle had survived the horrifying fall without breaking any bones, Doyle’s fate was sealed by the scalding water beneath. His body, Dr. Melinek revealed, had effectively been “steamed like a lobster.” This fatal incident happened due to the steaming hot water that flowed beneath the manhole.
Dr. Judy Melinek said that Doyle’s skin had completely peeled off, and his internal organs were completely damaged. We often don’t realize the damage hot water can do to us. Scalding from hot water, particularly boiling water, can destroy tissues and cells, potentially leading to permanent burns or even death.
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According to the Burn Foundation (via Healthline), more than 500,000 fatal scald burns happen in the United States each year. Children under the age of 5 and elders over the age of 65 are at the greatest risk for these burns. While most hot water burns can be treated at home, for any burn that is larger than three inches and covers most of the body where the burn occurred, it’s best to seek immediate medical help.
This horrific story reminded Dr. Judy Melinek of how one should control one’s anger and not indulge in rage in a fit of anger. She said that this case continues to give her the worst nightmare and will be one that she can never forget.
