LONG BEACH, Calif. (KCBS/KCAL/CNN/CNN Newsource/WKRC) – Human remains were discovered during an Easter egg hunt.
An Easter egg hunt in a Long Beach park took a disturbing turn Sunday when a family discovered what they believe to be human remains, prompting a police investigation.
Human remains were discovered during an Easter egg hunt.{ }(KCAL/KCBS/CNN/CNN Newsource)
Officers responded to DeForest Park around 5 p.m. after receiving reports of possible human remains, according to the Long Beach Police Department. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner was called to the scene.
The discovery was made during a family Easter gathering, when children searching for eggs came across what appeared to be a human skull, along with smaller bones nearby, witnesses told KCBS.
“I did start crying. It was sad,” one witness told KCBS.
Mark Zaldana, who was at the park for an Easter event, told KCBS he encountered the family shortly after the discovery.
“Pretty tragic — it’s a day you want to spend with family. You don’t expect something like this. You expect to have a wholesome time,” Zaldana told KCBS. “We saw the family there doing an Easter egg hunt, but they were freaking out a little bit.”
Other residents told KCBS they were alarmed by the scene.
“It’s terrible. We saw police cars down here earlier when we were coming back from service,” said Christopher Cain, a Long Beach resident.
Crista Cain told KCBS the discovery was especially upsetting given the presence of children.
“We’re devastated. We love this neighborhood, and to think this could happen to a little child,” she said.
Witnesses expressed concern for the children who may have encountered the remains.
“Just to be a child and find remains like that — it’s traumatizing,” Christopher Cain told KCBS.
Authorities have not confirmed the identity of the remains or provided details about how long they may have been at the park.
The investigation remains ongoing.