CAMDEN, S.C. — Authorities in Kershaw County are investigating after skeletal remains were found Tuesday evening by two children playing in the woods along East York Street.
“There’s a lot if's and a lot of unknowns at this point, but the only thing for sure is that we are doing what we can to get those answers for whoever’s family this is," said Kershaw Sheriff Lee Boan.
The children were riding bikes on trails in the wooded area when they stumbled across a skull.
“We had a couple of kids they riding on some trails in the woods, somehow, they got temporarily lost, and they came across skeletal remains," he adds.
Additional bones were found scattered with no burial site nearby.
“They were young kids, and I imagine they were shook up, the skull was real apparent and that's what they saw," he adds.
The remains were taken to Spartanburg County, where rapid DNA testing will be conducted.
Authorities said several individuals have come forward, concerned the remains could belong to their missing loved ones.
“We’ve already had people call, I just got off the phone with a police chief nearby and he's got a missing person and that's gonna happen when you got a person until they are identified, everyone’s reaching out, making contact of who possibly it could be. At this point, you can’t rule out anybody," Boan adds.
Kershaw County Coroner David West said DNA samples from potential family members have been collected.
“We gathered all of what we could get the bones, and we had them and we carried them to Spartanburg County this morning,” West said. “Along with a couple of family members that we think who it could be just to be on the safe side so they can be swabbed.”
Boan said he hopes to have a positive identification within the next week or two. Once identified, officials will work to determine the cause of death.