Human remains found in Central Falls

Posted: Oct 24, 2022 / 10:57 AM EDT

Updated: Oct 24, 2022 / 10:47 PM EDT

CENTRAL FALLS, R.I. (WPRI) — Police are investigating after skeletal remains were found Monday at a work site in Central Falls.

The remains were found by a construction worker around 8:45 a.m. in the area of Broad and Sheridan streets, according to police.

Carlos Silva said his company has been excavating the site for about a week.

“I put the machine in the hole and started doing the grating … all of a sudden, I see body parts coming out of the bucket,” Silva recalled. “I stopped, had to call the cops.”

Nearly 12 hours after human remains were discovered at a job site, @RIStatePolice are still on scene.

The contractor who found the skeletal remains said he immediately called police when he realized what he’d come across. That was at around 8am. https://t.co/gWulyQtoRp @wpri12 pic.twitter.com/Kg3NdrQtHz
— Amanda Pitts (@AmandaPittsTV) October 24, 2022

Detectives and the state medical examiner determined the remains are human and have been there for “quite some time,” according to Central Falls Police Maj. Christopher Reed. R.I. State Police brought in their mobile crime unit to analyze the remains.

Reed told 12 News the area was once a business, but the building was knocked down about a month ago and is going to eventually be some sort of housing.

It’s unclear at this time if the investigation is criminal in nature.