A troubling find by two young brothers playing near a stream in South Carolina has led to a death investigation after they stumbled upon a human skull and numerous other bones.
Anderson County deputies were notified around noon on Sunday following a mother’s report that her children had discovered what seemed to be human remains near the water.
The boys, identified as Benson and Colton Saxon, mentioned to local news that while playing, they noticed something protruding from the ground.
“I dug it up thinking it was just a piece of stone,” Benson recalled.
However, when his brother examined it more closely, they realized it was serious. Colton said their parents encouraged him to bring it home after they noticed what seemed to be an eye socket within the object.
Their mother, Megan, initially assumed the find was animal bones. “Honestly, I thought we had found an animal. I had no idea it was a human,” she stated, adding that the object definitely looked different upon closer inspection. After spotting what looked like bone marrow, she called 911.
Law enforcement, including detectives and forensic investigators, swiftly arrived to search the area, which later confirmed that the skull was indeed human. Approximately 45 to 50 additional bones were found, believed to belong to the same individual.
The remains showed signs of weathering, leading authorities to suggest that they were not fresh and could date back at least a decade. The coroner estimated, based on root presence, that the remains could likely be over ten years old. They are thought to belong to someone between the ages of 15 and 25, potentially carried downstream by the creek.
While authorities noted there were no obvious fractures present on the skull, it was too early in the investigation to determine if foul play was involved. The identity of the remains has not yet been revealed.
Officials are collaborating with anthropologists, cadaver dogs, and other agencies to further the investigation as the Anderson County Coroner’s Office and Sheriff’s Office continue their work.
