An Easter celebration at a park in Long Beach, Calif., turned morbid on Sunday when a child who was hunting for eggs discovered a partly buried skull, leading to an investigation into the identity of the person so far known only as “Unidentified Doe No. 196.”
The Long Beach Police Department was called to DeForest Park, about 15 miles south of downtown Los Angeles, in response to reports that possible human remains had been found, Andrea Moran, a department spokeswoman, said in an interview on Tuesday. It was just before 5 p.m., she said.
The skull, she said, “was located by a child.” Several families were in the park celebrating Easter, Ms. Moran said, and the child’s family had planned an egg hunt. The skull was found buried on a dirt path during the activity, she said.
The age, gender and manner of death of the deceased person were not immediately known. Investigators confirmed that the remains, which included the lower jawbone, were human, and were working to identify them, the County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner said in a statement on Monday.
The skull and mandible, which were in skeleton form, were taken to a forensic laboratory for examination, the statement said, adding the department had no further information about the case.
Christine Hauser is a Times reporter who writes breaking news stories, features and explainers.
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