Stuart - Tuesday May 21, 2024: A forensic anthropologist has determined that the skeletal remains found behind a home on Riverside Drive last week "appear to be an anatomically correct, medical-grade specimen typically used for teaching purposes," according to a release from the Stuart Police Department.
Dr. Heather Walsh-Haney and her team from the Florida Gulf Coast University School of Human Identity were called in to help identify the remains. She is an experienced anthropologist with skills that include reading skeletal remains and processing mass fatality scenes.
The remains were found last week on Wednesday May 15. Dr. Walsh-Haney and her team arrived the next day and began processing what was found.
"Medical grade" remains are typically donated by an individual who, in their will, stipulates that after their death their remains can be used for medical purposes.
It remains unclear how the donor's remains ended up in the backyard of the home on Riverside Drive.
The Stuart Police Department and Dr. Walsh-Haney’s team will continue excavating the area to ensure all skeletal remains are recovered. The investigation is ongoing.