Three suitcases containing human remains were found floating near the shore of Delray Beach in South Florida, an incident that has been under investigation for 24 hours, law enforcement officials reported.
Police said the three suitcases were found last Friday in the area of the Intracoastal Waterway near the 1000 block of the Palm Trail in Delray Beach, Palm Beach County.
At around 4:03 p.m., Deray Beach police said they received a 911 call alerting them to a suspicious object in the water of the Intracoastal Waterway.
When police arrived at the scene, they found a suitcase containing human remains, but much more alarming findings soon followed.
Two others containing human remains were found near the first suitcase along the Intracoastal Waterway, at Southeast Seventh Avenue and Casuarina Road.
George Bush Boulevard, which borders the Intracoastal Waterway, has been blocked by authorities. Investigators, along with the county coroner, gathered evidence at the scene. Officials from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Service and the United States Coast Guard (USCG) were also at the scene.
Although the investigation is still at the preliminary stage, Delray Beach authorities announced that the remains appear to belong to an unknown woman.
Investigations are ongoing at both the site and the Palm Beach Medical Examiner’s Office, where the victim’s remains were taken.
Police are asking the public that anyone who may have information regarding this case contact Detective Mike Liberta (561) 243-7874.
It is the second case of human remains found in Palm Beach’s Intracoastal Waterway in just two months.
In early June, West Palm Beach police reported that they had found a body floating in the Intracoastal Waterway near Lake Worth Beach.
The body belonged to a 22-year-old man later identified as Jon Lejiste, a former University of South Florida (USF) football player and graduate of Atlantic High School in Delray Beach.
The Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) is a 3,000-mile inland waterway along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts of the United States, from Massachusetts to the tip of South Florida. Some sections of the navigable corridor consist of natural bays, saltwater currents and inlets, while others are man-made channels that allow boaters to travel a long route without the dangers of navigating the open sea.