Police and the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner are examining remains recovered Sunday near a walking path at DeForest Park and Wetlands in Long Beach.
LONG BEACH, Calif. — A forensic examination was underway Monday after a family on an Easter egg hunt found a human skull near a trail at DeForest Park and Wetlands, prompting a police response and hours of scene processing.
The case matters because it moved quickly from a disturbing public discovery to a formal unidentified-remains investigation. Long Beach police confirmed the remains were human after officers first answered a report of possible bones Sunday evening. The county medical examiner then recovered the skull and a jawbone, opening the next phase of the case: determining who the person was, how long the remains had been there and whether detectives are dealing with a crime scene.
The first call came at about 5 p.m. Sunday after a family searching for Easter eggs near the park’s walking area saw what appeared to be a skull protruding from the ground. Police and fire crews responded to the area near De Forest Avenue as families were still leaving holiday gatherings. Witnesses described an abrupt shift from a festive afternoon to a scene crowded with investigators, yellow tape and a canopy set up over the discovery site. The remains were found close enough to the trail that some nearby residents said they could not believe they had gone unnoticed. Police closed off the immediate area for several hours while investigators documented the scene and waited for county specialists to arrive.
Officials were careful Monday about what they would and would not say. Police confirmed the remains were human, but did not release details about the condition of the bones or say whether any clothing, personal items or other evidence was found nearby. The medical examiner said its team recovered a skull and mandible and transported them for testing, assigning the case an unidentified designation while the examination continues. Those details narrowed the public record but still left the core mystery unresolved. Authorities had not identified the deceased, had not estimated an age and had not confirmed witness speculation that the skull might be that of a child. They also had not said whether the location will need to be searched again for additional remains.
That uncertainty has shaped the community response. DeForest Park and Wetlands is not an isolated lot. It is a public green space of about 49.6 acres with a nature trail and family recreation areas, used regularly by residents for walks, youth programs and holiday outings. That made the discovery feel personal to people who live nearby. Some residents said the hardest part was thinking about children being present when the remains were spotted. Others focused on how exposed the site appeared to be, with eggs still visible near the taped-off area in images from the scene. The facts known so far suggest a recovery in a heavily used public space, not a remote area closed to visitors, and that has intensified local concern even as officials insist on a cautious approach.
The investigation now depends on forensic work. Specialists can use the skull and jawbone to look for traits that may help estimate age, sex and ancestry, and to check for signs of injury or long-term exposure. Detectives may compare those findings against missing-person reports or older unidentified cases. Long Beach police have not announced any evidence of foul play, and no suspect has been named. Just as important, officials have not ruled anything out. Depending on what the examination shows, the case could remain a medical examiner identification matter, expand into a wider evidence search at the park or shift into a criminal investigation. Any public update is likely to come only after the forensic lab produces findings strong enough for authorities to release.
For neighbors, the waiting may be the hardest part. Jessica Flores, who said she visits the area often with family, described the discovery as heartbreaking because so many children come to the park. Another resident, Christopher Cain, said the possibility that children saw the remains made the case especially upsetting. Those reactions captured the human side of a story that, for investigators, is still mostly a matter of controlled steps and limited statements. The contrast between the bright plastic eggs left near the trail and the quiet, methodical work of forensic teams has become the defining image of the case. Until experts say more, the public is left with only the confirmed basics: a skull, a jawbone and a set of questions no one can yet answer.
As of Tuesday, the remains had not been identified and police had not announced whether the case involved foul play. The next key development is expected when the medical examiner releases further findings from its examination of the recovered bones.
Author note: Last updated April 7, 2026.