Smyrna Police Examine Whether Remains Found at Softball Field Match Missing Child Cases Outside Town

An area where police say the remains of a child appear to have been discovered last week.

SMYRNA, Del.- The Smyrna Police Department on Monday said it is conferring with other police departments around the region to determine whether human remains discovered last week at the Little Lass softball fields match any missing child cases outside the town's limits.

The move comes as investigators await concrete results from the state's division of forensic science about the identity of the child, whose remains were discovered on Friday by someone walking their dog, according to police.

"It's priority number one," Cpl. Brian Donner, a Smyrna Police Department spokesman, said of the investigation.

Police have not disclosed exactly what kind of remains were found near the batting cages at the softball fields, but did note there was evidence of a fire in the area.

Donner said the remains appear to be from a child who was 10 years old or younger and were intentionally left in the area where they were found some time in the last few weeks --- or months.

"The remains were not well hidden. They were found. Was there a reason behind that? We just don't know," he said.

Updated: Police Confirm Human Remains Recovered in Smyrna

 

Through most of the weekend, tents and tarps protecting evidence could be seen in a small clearing near the batting cages at Little Lass.

After Monday morning, the tents had been removed after police wrapped up their crime scene investigation.

Jim Faulkner and his wife Dorothy, who have lived for 60 years next door to the location where the fields are located, were unsettled by the grim discovery last week.

"There's nothing like this that's ever happened," he said.

"Nobody's reported any children being missing. Maybe it was brought in from somewhere else," she said.

Their Faulkner's son, Jim Faulkner Jr., said he was unsettled to know the remains were discovered on the property next to his childhood home.

"I would like to find out who or why this ever happened," he said. "It's ridiculous."

Recommended for you