Human Remains Found Near River In Fitchburg

FITCHBURG (CBS) - The discovery of human remains on the banks of the Nashua River in Fitchburg has left nearby residents unsettled. They were found by workers clearing brush in the area at the intersection of Lunenburg Road and John Fitch Highway.

Investigators with the Worcester District Attorney's office spent seven hours processing the scene, all unfolding behind Janice Kirouac's home. "They thought the body had been in the river for at least a year," she said. "It's very scary, who really knows how long it's been there."

One neighbor who didn't want to be identified says the workers immediately called 911. "I know they panicked when they saw a skull or whatever they saw. They knew it wasn't an animal it was a body of some kind."

Investigators have given no indication if the remains are those of a male or female, and are seeking the public's help with information. "From what I could see it had been there quite a while. They were putting it into a body bag picking up pieces. It had decomposed," said one neighbor.

It is a dark area by nightfall and with a thick cover of trees and branches any remains would have been difficult to spot. The medical examiner will now try to make an identification.

Janice Kirouac hopes the mystery will be solved soon. "I hope they find out who it is so somebody somewhere will find closure."