CLEVELAND, Ohio — Police in Cleveland are investigating a disturbing case after the bodies of two young girls were discovered inside suitcases buried in shallow graves on the city’s east side earlier this week.
Authorities say the grim discovery was made Monday evening when a man walking his dog noticed something unusual in a field near East 162nd Street and Midland Avenue in Cleveland’s South Collinwood neighborhood.
According to Cleveland19.com, the man’s dog began sniffing around a partially buried suitcase, prompting the man to take a closer look.
Realizing the suitcase appeared to contain human remains, he immediately called 911.
When officers arrived at the scene around 6 p.m., they discovered a body inside the suitcase, which had been buried in a shallow grave. During a search of the surrounding area, investigators located a second shallow grave nearby containing another suitcase with human remains.
Police later confirmed that the victims were two young girls believed to be between the ages of approximately 8½ and 14 years old.
The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office has conducted preliminary DNA testing, which indicated the two girls were half-siblings. Their identities have not yet been publicly confirmed.
Officials also said investigators believe the bodies had been buried at the location for some time, though the exact timeline and cause of death have not yet been released.
Cleveland Police Chief Dorothy Todd described the discovery as deeply troubling for both investigators and the surrounding community.
“It is traumatic for everyone,” Todd said during a news briefing. “It is traumatic for those who live in the area to know that this was right there at their doorstep.”
The remains were found in an open area near Ginn Academy, a public school in the South Collinwood neighborhood. Authorities say there is currently no indication of an ongoing threat to the public, but the investigation remains in its early stages.
Police also noted that no missing persons reports in the local area currently match the victims, prompting investigators to expand their search beyond the region and work with additional agencies.
Detectives are urging anyone with information that could help identify the victims or lead to a suspect to contact the Cleveland Police Homicide Unit.
The case remains under active investigation.