Memphis Police Say Children's Remains Found In Woods May Date Back Years
The search began after an anonymous dog walker reported a possible human skull on March 8 near a wooded area between Ridgeway Road and Winchester Road in Memphis. That tip set off a months-long investigation that brought cadaver dogs and systematic searches to the site.
Police recovered the first suspected skull on March 8 and said cadaver dogs later alerted to remains inside a nearby drainage pipe. A second apparent skull was recovered on April 1, and 14 more bones were found on April 2. About 170 personnel from Memphis Police, the Shelby County Medical Examiner, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, federal partners and Memphis Fire have taken part in a systematic search.
Investigators now say the bones belong to three children roughly 3 to 7 years old and that the remains have likely been in the woods for several years. Officials say decomposition and scattering of the bones have complicated identification and delayed linking the remains to any missing-children reports. Investigators are reviewing older missing-children reports to find matches, but no victims have been identified so far.
The remains were found in a wooded stretch between Ridgeway Road and Winchester Road, a residential corridor on Memphis' east side. Police Chief Cerelyn Davis said there is no indication of an active threat to the public but said someone likely knows of missing children who match the remains. Authorities are continuing a methodical recovery and investigation and ask anyone with information about long-ago missing children to contact investigators.
đ Key Facts
- On March 8 an anonymous dog-walker reported a possible human skull in a wooded area between Ridgeway Road and Winchester Road in Memphis, triggering the investigation.
- Police now believe the remains are those of three children roughly 3 to 7 years old and say the bones have likely been in the area for several years.
- Timeline of recoveries: first skull found March 8; cadaver dogs later alerted at a drainage pipe; a second apparent skull recovered April 1; and fourteen additional bones recovered April 2.
- About 170 personnel from Memphis Police, the Shelby County Medical Examiner, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, federal partners and Memphis Fire are conducting a systematic search of the site.
- Investigators report the remains are scattered and in a condition consistent with long-term decomposition, which has complicated identification efforts.
- Police Chief Cerelyn Davis said there is no indication of any active threat to the public while noting that someone likely knows of missing children who match the remains.
- Despite extensive searching, no victims have been identified; authorities are pursuing potential links to long-ago missing-children reports.
đ° Source Timeline (3)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Investigators now emphasize that the children's remains may have been in the wooded area for several years, refining earlier, less specific time estimates.
- The New York Times adds further detail on the condition and scattering of the remains, reinforcing that decomposition and time have complicated identification.
- Reporting underscores that, despite extensive searching, authorities still have no identified victims and are pursuing potential links to long-ago missing children reports.
- Investigation began March 8 after an anonymous dog walker reported a possible human skull near a wooded area between Ridgeway Road and Winchester Road.
- Police now believe the remains are of three children between roughly 3 and 7 years old and that the bones have likely been there for several years.
- About 170 personnel from Memphis Police, the Shelby County Medical Examiner, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, federal partners and Memphis Fire are conducting a systematic search.
- Timeline details: first skull found March 8, cadaver dogs later alerted at a drainage pipe, a second apparent skull was recovered April 1, and fourteen additional bones were found April 2.
- Police Chief Cerelyn Davis stated there is no indication of any active threat to the public while emphasizing someone likely knows of missing children matching the remains.