Remains believed to be those of 3 children found in Memphis

Human remains believed to be those of three children have been found in southeast Memphis, according to police, who are now searching the area for additional evidence.

Police said Wednesday that the remains were recovered during an investigation along Ridge Meadow Parkway between Ridgeway Road and Winchester Road that began on March 8, after a person walking a dog reported seeing what appeared to be a skull near a wooded area.

“An individual in the community was taking a walk with their dog, and they stumbled upon what they thought could have been human remains or remains of an animal and called the police,” Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn “CJ” Davis said.

Officers who responded to the 3400 block of Ridge Meadow Parkway found what appeared to be a human skull at the edge of the woods. Because of limited lighting, a more extensive search was pushed to the following day.

Police and personnel from the Shelby County Medical Examiner’s Office returned on March 9, and investigators searched the area again on March 10 with the help of Shelby County Search and Rescue. During that search, cadaver dogs alerted to a nearby drainage pipe, suggesting more remains could be present.

Investigators inspected the drainage system with a camera on March 16 but found no additional remains at that time.

On April 1, investigators entered the drainage system from another access point and found what appeared to be another skull. A coordinated canvass the next day led to the recovery of 14 more bones consistent with human remains.

Based on the remains recovered and a preliminary analysis by the medical examiner’s office, investigators believe the remains are those of three children between the ages of 3 and 7.

“Just based on the information that we are getting from the Medical Examiner’s Office and anthropologists and the scientists that are working with us, we are thinking a few years,” Davis said when asked how long the remains may have been there.

Police said investigators believe the children were not previously reported missing in the Memphis area.

“We plan to be here until we feel like we have covered every square inch of this area that could potentially be part of this crime scene,” Davis said.

She said only bone fragments have been found so far. The children have not been identified, and investigators are still trying to determine the circumstances of their deaths.