SANTEE, Calif. – San Diego County Sheriff’s deputies found human remains on Wednesday off a trail in Santee.
Just after 4 p.m., authorities were tipped off by two hikers who spotted what appeared to be scattered bones and a skull while they were off trail looking for snakes. The remains were located with the help of the department’s ASTREA helicopter by deputies east of Santee Lakes in the Fanita Ranch area off of Summit Crest Drive.
“A skull popped up and a spine and everything else so — it was kind of spread out,” hiker Ryley Becker said. “Skull’s kind of near a bunch of ribs and spine and lower jaws.”
“A few feet away and there’s some leg bones across a bush 10 feet over or so,” fellow hiker Travis Raszkowski added.
The department said it’s too early in the investigation to say if the remains are from a man or woman, or how long they’ve been there.
No cause of death has yet been determined.
Check back for updates on this developing story.