Police in Edmonton say they believe they’ve found the remains of an eight-year-old girl who they’ve alleged was murdered.
In a news release Saturday afternoon, police say detectives found a young girl’s remains earlier in the day on the Samson Cree Nation in Maskwacis, south of Edmonton.
They say investigators are confident the remains are those of the eight-year-old they were seeking, but they are awaiting forensic confirmation in an autopsy scheduled for Monday.
Police said Friday that a 27-year-old woman was charged with first-degree murder and indignity to a body, while a 66-year-old was charged with accessory to first-degree murder and indignity to a dead body.
Officers responded to a welfare call related to the child at a home on Monday but had not been able to find her and believed she was dead.
Saturday’s news release said a 25-year-old man has also been charged with accessory after the fact to murder and causing indignity to a dead body.
“We are grateful for the support of the RCMP and the Band leaders of Samson Cree Nation who helped facilitate the search and recovery of the remains,” Staff Sgt. Colin Leathem of the EPS Homicide Section said in the release.
“This is a significant development in the investigation, but we still have a lot more work to do.”
Police are not releasing the names of the suspects or the child — who knew each other — in order to protect the identities of other children related to the girl.
Police say further updates will be provided on Monday after the autopsy.