Investigation Continues Into Human Remains Found During Long Beach Easter Egg Hunt

LONG BEACH, CA — The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office is currently in possession of human remains found at a city-owned park and will try to determine the cause of death.

The remains were found by children during an Easter egg hunt held on Sunday at city-owned DeForest Park, a 50-acre parcel not far from both the 710 Freeway and the Los Angeles River that includes wetlands and walking/biking paths.

Per CBS Los Angeles, family members said off-camera that what appeared to be the skull and some bones of a small child were discovered while children were searching for Easter eggs.

When contacted by Patch, the medical examiner's office confirmed that a skull and jaw were recovered from the scene, but said that an examination of the remains has yet to occur.

"There is no timeframe as to when, or if, an identification will be made," the office said in a statement. "It may take months or longer."

Also currently in question is whether the case will be investigated as a murder.

"That is going to be pending the medical examiner's findings," Long Beach Police Department spokeswoman Andrea Moran told Patch.

Although the remains were found at a city-owned park, Sunday's egg hunt had been a private event.

"It was not city-sponsored or hosted; it was just a family doing an Easter egg hunt," Moran said.