A hiker's afternoon stroll took a solemn turn last week when she stumbled upon remains that weren't meant to be found. The Cochise County Sheriff's Office is piecing together a peculiar puzzle after a box of human ashes was found on an Arizona walking trail, announced in a statement posted on Facebook by the Sheriff's Office on January 30.
Walking near milepost 7 of Charleston Road, which snakes through the scenic stretch from Sierra Vista to Tombstone, the box was located by a resident whose day was about to take a strange detour. Upon closer inspection, the box held cremains labeled as belonging to Ann Kringle, who passed away in November of 2012. Wrapped in the enigma of how the remains managed to journey nearly 400 miles from Murrieta, California, where they were cremated, to a remote area in southern Arizona. The sheriff's deputies are now seeking help to trace any living relatives.
Every detail that could serve as a clue is being pursued. According to 12 News, the label revealed the deceased's name alongside the location of the cremation, prompting the authorities to reach out to the funeral home in hopes of finding next of kin or at least shedding light on this mystery.
Seeking the public’s assistance, the Cochise County Sheriff's Office, helmed by Sheriff Mark J. Dannels, has issued a plea for anyone with information on Ann Kringle. Empathizing with the deceased and their potentially unaware family members, they hope to "reunite Ann with any family members as soon as possible," they mentioned in their social media appeal. The Sheriff's Office encourages anyone with information to contact them directly at 520-432-9500 or to call SEACOM at 520-803-3550 to assist in the case.
