Remains Of 3 Children Were Likely In A Wooded Area ‘for Several Years' Before Discovery, Memphis Police Say

The remains of 3 young children, believed to beryllium betwixt nan ages of 3 and 7, were discovered successful Memphis aft apt having been successful a wooded area for years, officials announced Wednesday.

It's believed nan remains were successful nan Ridge Meadow Parkway for “a fewer years,” Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn "CJ" Davis said successful a news conference.

“This is heartbreaking, is disturbing, and astatine this time, we person galore resources to thief america to place these young group and bring closure to this investigation," she said.

The investigation began connected March 8 erstwhile an anonymous caller reported a imaginable quality skull adjacent a wooded area successful nan 3400 artifact of Ridge Meadow Parkway, constabulary said.

Responding officers recovered what appeared to beryllium a quality skull astatine nan separator of nan woods. During a consequent canvass of nan area, cadaver dogs alerted to a adjacent drainage pipe, indicating imaginable quality remains, according to officials.

The drain strategy was inspected utilizing a camera strategy connected March 16, and connected April 1 investigators assessed nan drainage strategy and located what appeared to beryllium an further skull, constabulary said.

The adjacent day, hunt teams conducted different coordinated canvass and recovered “14 further bones accordant pinch quality remains,” Davis said.

She said nan remains are believed to beryllium from 3 children, and nan investigation is underway to find their identities and nan circumstances surrounding their deaths.

An cognition took spot Wednesday on Ridge Meadow Parkway successful hunt of further evidence.

The investigation includes local, authorities and national officials, including nan FBI and nan Tennessee Bureau of Investigations.

Davis stressed there’s nary threat to nan public.

“Somebody knows wherever these children person travel from. Someone knows of missing children that we person discovered successful this area,” she said.

She said nan constabulary section conducted a reappraisal of each caller missing persons reports but did not find a grounds matching nan floor plan of nan remains.

“We cognize that this individual was not, aliases these individuals were not, persons that were reported retired of our area," Davis said.

Anyone pinch accusation was encouraged to interaction Crime Stoppers astatine 901-528-2274.