Latest news with #ColletonCountyCoroner'sOffice
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Tourists find skeletal remains that may be linked to 1800s burial site
Tourists in South Carolina made a gruesome discovery while exploring an island off the state's coast last week, officials said. The tourists were in Jeremy Cay, a beachfront part of Edisto Island, when they found what they at first believed to be fossils — only to realize they had discovered human remains, officials said in a news release. The tourists, who have not been identified, then called the Colleton County Sheriff's Office and the Edisto Beach Police Department. Officials secured the scene, then launched an investigation. Early indications from the investigation "suggest the remains may originate from a long forgotten burial site," the Colleton County Sheriff's Office said. The remains were found in an area that had once been known as Edingsville Beach, the sheriff's office said. During the 19th century, Edingsville Beach was a settlement of about 60 homes, according to the Edisto Island website. The area was a popular vacation destination for wealthy Southern families, with homes overlooking the sea and a nearby marsh. There were also several churches, a schoolhouse and other communal buildings. But over the decades, weather and erosion took their toll, and by the time the Civil War began in 1861, the settlement and the rest of the island were mostly uninhabited. In 1885, a massive storm destroyed most of the homes there. The remaining structures were demolished when another hurricane hit the area in 1893. The newly-found remains were recovered by the Colleton County Coroner's Office. They have been transported to the Medical University of South Carolina for forensic analysis and identification. The sheriff's office said it is working with the coroner's office and other agencies to "determine more about the remains and their origin." Colleton County coroner Rich Harvey told Newsweek that the remains included a skull and several separated bones. They might date back to the Revolutionary or Civil War, he said. Bones have previously been found on the island, officials said. In 2015, a Pennsylvania tourist found several bones near the northern part of the island. Shortly afterwards, a former ranger visiting the island found a skull with some teeth still attached. That skull was dated to between 1865 and 1870, officials said. Broken tools, china and building materials from the settlement's heyday have also been known to wash up in Jeremy Cay, according to an essay shared by the Jeremy Cay Homeowner's Association. Last week, skeletal remains found on New Jersey beaches were identified as those of a 19th-century schooner captain. SpaceX loses contact with its Starship, spins out of control Brooklyn shop celebrates Mexican culture by supporting local artisans Original "Hamilton" cast to reunite at Tony Awards as show marks 10th anniversary
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Tourists Thought They Found Fossils on Island, but Investigators Say They Might Be Centuries-Old Human Remains
The Colleton County Sheriff's Office said tourists visiting Edisto Island in South Carolina found what they initially thought were fossils — only to later realize they were human remains The location of the remains is historically noteworthy, authorities said, as it was once a 19th-century settlement known as Edingsville Beach Authorities are working to determine the identity of the remains and the cause of death Authorities said that tourists visiting a South Carolina island came across centuries-old human skeletal remains. The Colleton County Sheriff's Office said in a press release that it responded to a report about the remains found on Edisto Island on Friday, May 23. The sheriff's office said deputies were sent to the Jeremy Cay community near Legare Road, a beachfront property, after the tourists discovered what they initially thought were fossils while exploring the area. 'Upon closer examination, they realized the remains appeared to be human and promptly contacted the Colleton County Sheriff's Office and the Edisto Police Department,' the department said. Authorities closed off the area and conducted a preliminary investigation, according to the sheriff's office. The location of the remains is historically noteworthy, authorities noted, as it was once a 19th-century settlement known as Edingsville Beach. 'Early indications suggest the remains may originate from a long forgotten burial site,' said the sheriff's office. The remains were recovered with the assistance of the Colleton County Coroner's Office and taken to the Medical University of South Carolina for forensic examination and analysis. The identity of the remains and the circumstances behind their death are currently unknown, stated the sheriff's office, adding the investigation is active. In an interview with Newsweek on Sunday, May 25, Colleton County Coroner Richard Harvey said the remains consist of a skull and separated bones. Harvey further added that they could be from the Revolutionary War or Civil War, and that his office plans to identify the bones and determine how old they are. According to Edisto Island's website, Edingsville Beach was once a popular vacation spot, particularly for the elite, during the first half of the 19th century. In 1825, it was made up of 60 tabby and brick houses with verandas facing the ocean. The community also had several churches, boathouses, a schoolhouse and a billiard saloon. Over time, Edingsville Beach faded due to continued beach erosion and the impact of the Civil War. In 1885, a hurricane hit the island, and all that was left were a few houses. Towards the end of the century, the island was all but abandoned. The website also noted that in 2015, a tourist from Pennsylvania visiting the north end of Edisto Island spotted a bone sticking out of the mud and collected several of them before they got washed away by the high tide. Shortly after, a former Edisto Beach State Park ranger found several teeth attached to a skull while on vacation. Paleontologists later determined that both sets of remains — one of them a cow skeleton — dated back to 1865 and 1870. PEOPLE contacted the Colleton County Coroner's Office and the Colleton County Sheriff's Office for additional information on Tuesday, May 27. Read the original article on People
