NEWS UPDATE, Tuesday, September 9: This story has been updated to reflect that police confirmed there is no risk to public safety.
Homicide detectives are investigating after human remains were found near Read Road and the shore of Lake Ontario.
Niagara Regional Police say officers were called to the area around 2 p.m. on Aug. 31, after someone reported finding what appeared to be a human skull. The area was secured while detectives and forensic officers began their investigation.
On Sept. 3, police recovered a full set of skeletal remains from the same area. They are working with the coroner’s office and the Ontario Forensic Pathology Service to identify the person. Investigators say the advanced state of decomposition has made identification difficult.
Police say the death is being treated as suspicious, and the homicide unit is now leading the investigation. The area remains under guard while officers continue searching for evidence.
“We can confirm that there is no known risk to public safety,” said police spokesperson Stephanie Sabourin in an email response to The Lake Report.
Police said detectives “are in the early stages of the investigation and will provide additional information as it becomes available.”
“Until then, no additional information will be released regarding the discovery, potential identification, cause of death, or investigative steps being taken,” added Sabourin.
Police did not issue a public statement until Sept. 4, when an update was posted on the service’s Facebook page around 3:30 p.m.
They have not answered questions about why the discovery wasn’t made public sooner, whether the remains are connected to any missing person cases, or the status of confirming the deceased person’s identity.
Anyone with information is asked to call police at 905-688-4111, option 3, extension 1009417. Anonymous tips can be made through Crime Stoppers of Niagara at 1-800-222-8477 or online.
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