Parma police said they recovered nearly a full skeleton after two teens found human remains in a small field behind the Toys R Us store on Day Drive. The news came as officers took away a variety of items found at the scene Wednesday afternoon.
“The officers went back and retrieved what appeared to be a mattress and some clothing," said Lt. Kevin Riley of the Parma Police Department.
Lt. Riley said officers also found a dark-colored dirty tennis shoe. It's unclear whether the shoe is for a man or woman or whether it is pertinent to the investigation.
“The remains were too decomposed to make any kind of preliminary identification as to age, gender or any other identifying characteristic," added Riley.
Parma police currently have five people missing in the city. In Cuyahoga County, according to the county's missing persons database, there are 214 missing persons.
The database, launched in 2013 after the discovery of the three missing girls, was managed my Tanisha Knighton, missing persons liaison for the Cuyahoga County Sheriff's Department. But she was fired nine months ago for showing x-rated videos to foster parents. The Sheriff's Department said Knighton's position is still not filled.
The department declined an interview.
Whether the remains in Parma are that of a missing person is too soon to tell. Whether foul play was involved is unknown. The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner is working to identify the person.
“This is something that I don’t think we’ve had here in quite so many years," added Riley. "Definitely a unique case.”
Riley suspected the remains had been in the field for months.
