Police baffled by body on side of the road

The discovery of a child’s skeletal remains in a town of 200 people has baffled police as they admitted the body had been left untouched by the side of a road for a “very, very long time”.

The gender of the child whose remains were dumped in a suitcase in the South Australian bush is still unknown, but police have already been able to rule out 10 potential victims.

The bones were discovered alongside a suitcase and clothes off the Karoonda Highway near Wynarka, in the state’s south east, on July 15.

Police believe the body may have been there for up to six weeks.

Detective Superintendent Des Bray says he hopes forensic science staff will this week be able to confirm the gender of the child, believed to be aged between two and five.

“A DNA profile is also being taken of the child, however, that will take longer,” he said.

Crime Stoppers had received 125 calls from the public, leading to 10 potential victims being identified and then being excluded by police.

Last week Supt Bray said investigators did not believe the child was missing boy William Tyrrell, who disappeared last September in New South Wales.

“The child died a violent death in terrible circumstances,” he said.

“There has been a lot of speculation about William Tyrrell — but I can tell you that unnecessary speculation is not helpful,” he said.

“We believe it’s unlikely that it’s William Tyrrell.”

As part of an appeal for information detectives said they wished to speak to an older man seen carrying a suitcase in the area six to eight weeks ago.

The man has been described as about 60 years of age, of average height, lightly built and neatly dressed and clean cut. He was carrying a dark-coloured suitcase in one hand.

By the time the body was found by a passing motorist, the remains were about two metres away from the bag.

“The child was originally in the suitcase and at some point, somebody has, we believe removed the child from the suitcase,” he said.

“It’s hard to say what happened, and why, but we know for certain that somebody has come, found the suitcase, opened it to have a look what was in there, tipped out the contents and at that stage become aware that it was most likely human remains.”

Police said it appeared that someone had pulled the suitcase from where it had originally been dumped and placed it in full view of the road.

“Somebody must know somebody where a child has disappeared in suspicious circumstances,” Bray said.

“So we would encourage people to have a think about family, friends, acquaintances, people who live near them.

“It’s impossible for someone not to know.”