Woman Digs Up Human Bones in Her Garden

Woman turns up old bones in her garden

Monroe Sheriff's County detectives are trying to identify a set of human bones found by a woman who was digging in her yard over the weekend.

Barbara Thrall was doing her usual yard work Friday when she dug up what looked like a jaw bone. Thinking it was the remains of an animal, Thrall took the bone inside to her friend, who was shocked at the grisly find.

"She came in and said, 'Look what I found,'" said James Daugherty, who immediately knew it belonged to a human. "I flipped out when I saw it."

Thrall went back outside and continued to dig inthe area where she found the jaw bone and unearthed a portion of a skull and piece of a leg. The pair then took the bone fragments to police, who confirmed the remains were human.

Forensics swarmed the 61-year-old woman's Marathon home and turned it into a dig site to see if there were any more remains in the backyard. After three days, investigators found tiny finger bones and more pieces of the skull, but not enough to accurately identify the person.

Monroe officials said the bones appear to belong to a young female, possibly a teenager and may have been in the dirt for as long as 75 years.

"We have been in that area before raking and blowing leaves and it just so happen she stumbled on it," said Daugherty, who moved to the property in April. "It's not going to spook me. I am down here to stay."

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