Why does a reddish brown blood-like substance ooze from the nose and mouth of dead humans. What is this fluid?

Question

I recently began an internship in a crime laboratory and I'm allowed to go to crime scenes with them. This "phenomenon" seems to be common with the dead bodies I've seen. The laboratory personnel (who are NOT doctors) are unable to explain it and I feel bad bothering the medical examiners since they are usually in a hurry and have little time to answer my questions.

Answer 1

It isn't a "phenomenon".  It's called purge.  It is the contents of the stomach oozing up and out.

Answer 2

The fluid leaking from the mouth and nose of a dead body is part stomach content...it is also partial decomp of the intestinal content and some organ decomposition since organs such as the pancreas itself literally digests itself due to the high content of  (digestive fluid) it contains and this can happen within hours of death and it has no where else to go but UP and OUT.

Answer 3

Interesting stuff here on page 19

http://www.fbi.gov/publications/leb/2006...

Answer 4

It's not a substance. It's dead blood. Blood can die very fast if a person is not breathing. Or it could be what the other person said... I'm only 15. Just guessing.