Police are investigating after hikers found a badly decomposed body in a Coconut Creek Park Thursday afternoon.
The two hikers found the skeletal remains while they were walking along a nature trail in Tradewinds Park South in the 3600 block of Sample Road, police said.
Coconut Creek Police Chief Michael Mann said the body appears to be a female. He said it's unknown how long the body has been there but it appeared to be a long time.
"The remains are mostly skeletal so it's been back there quite a while," Mann said.
Mann said the medical examiner will try to determine the cause of death and identify the body.
Nearby residents said they were shocked to learn of the discovery in the woods near their homes.
"That's crazy, we're always back there in the woods...we never came across anything like that so that's a surprise," said Jason Kryshka. "To know that it's been out there for so long is really kind of freaky."
It was the second body found in Broward within a matter of hours. Authorities say the body of a man was found floating in a Davie canal along Southwest 14th Street and Southwest 121st Avenue by South Florida Water Management District workers.
Police said they're investigating that case as a homicide.
