Breaking: Burial site contained two sets of remains

Elmore County Sheriff Mike Hollinshead announced on Monday that a burial site discovered north of Mountain Home on April 15 actually contained two sets of human remains.

During the course of the investigation, authorities determined that two children were buried on top of one another in the vicinity of Hot Creek Road.

The sheriff estimated unofficially that the first set of skeletal remains were from a child between three and five years old, and the second set were from a child four to nine years old.

Officers from the Idaho Department of Fish and Game found the burial site by accident. Hollinshead said that a badger had pushed the bones out of the ground when it created an exit point from its burrow.

Members of the Elmore County Sheriff’s Office, Idaho Fish and Game and Bureau of Land Management recovered the remains after consultation with archaeologists and a tribal representative.

There were no fibrous materials such as clothing located with the remains. However, an initial investigation indicated that the children were buried at the site 15 to 20 years ago.

Officials at Boise State University are aiding in the forensics part of the investigation. In addition, investigators will use carbon dating to determine exactly when the bodies were buried.

The sheriff's department emphasized that the human remains didn't exhibit the characteristics of a Native American burial site. This was based on terrain locations and a visit by a Four Rivers archaeologist.

This is an ongoing investigation, and the sheriff’s department hasn't ruled out foul play or criminal activity. Investigators are also working with surrounding law enforcement agencies to determine possible links to any missing child cases outside of Elmore County.