A kayaker paddling the Rouge River in Wayne made a macabre find when they came upon decomposed human remains caught along the riverbank. The discovery, which took place on Wednesday around 5:15 p.m., has launched a police investigation, spearheaded by both the City of Wayne Police and the Michigan State Police Marine Service Team, as reported by CBS News Detroit.
The remains, first identified as the upper torso, were later matched with a lower half found downstream during yesterday’s recovery effort, while Wayne County Medical Examiner's Office now holds the grim task of deciphering the identity of the deceased; officials have indicated that early assessments suggest the remains are that of an adult female, but confirmation is pending. In a neighborhood not accustomed to such harrowing events residents like Rodney Severance expressed their surprise to CBS News Detroit stating, "Yeah, definitely a shock. I mean, that's wild."
Resident Corey Ingram in an interview with WXYZ, “To think that like this happened that close to us and with this many people in the neighborhood, the kids and all that, is kind of weird and scary." Police have asked those with any information to come forward, providing Detective Lt. Springer's contact details to help clarify the situation, said details can be found in the WXYZ report.
The circumstances surrounding the death remain opaque while the Wayne County Medical Examiner's Office conducts its investigation to unearth clues about the person's identity and the cause of death, a challenge compounded by the severe decomposition of the remains, Tim Pamplin of WWJ Newsradio 950 described the investigation ahead as being "Very grisly." Details are sparse, and police have withheld further information pending the advance of the investigation; nonetheless, they acknowledge the active state of the case and the public's critical role in piecing together this disconcerting puzzle.
