Orange Park, Fla. -- The Clay County Sheriff's Office is investigating human remains that were discovered in a local pond. Neighbors are in shock.
"This is horrible and how long did this person lay there to become a skeleton right in our neighborhood," said Emily Williams, who lives just down the block from the retention pond.
The pond is located directly across from a daycare facility.
"It's shocking," said Bright Beginnings Childcare director, Charisse McGrew. "The parents are concerned if there's anything wrong."
The remains were found yesterday by a 15-year-old boy who was fishing at a retention pond in a heavily-wooded area near 350 Crossings Boulevard off Wells Road. The pond is being drained so investigators can locate any additional evidence.
"They will put everything back together, assemble it to where it can be sent off to a medical examiner's office and they will ultimately make that determination as to what's occurred and whether it's a male or female, age what have you," said Craig Aldrich, Chief of Staff for the Clay County Sheriff's Office.
Drainage work done by utility workers over the course of the last week is what initially caused the lake level to drop so that part of the skeletal remains became visible.
The sheriff's office is checking missing persons cases in the area to try and identify the remains.
"We have three active missing person investigations ongoing right now," said Aldrich. "But it's too soon to tell if those are connected."
If you have any information that can help investigators, call Crime Stoppers at 866-845-TIPS.
