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April 21, 2008

Update: Remains at Warwick home from burial site

Journal photo/Bill Murphy
Warwick police Officer Margaret Jones stands guard this morning outside the home at 183 Charlotte Drive, where human remains were found over the weekend in the basement. At left, an investigator heads into the basement through a bulkhead.

WARWICK -- Warwick police say human remains found in the cellar of a Charlotte Drive house are likely from a Colonial-era burial, and the site is not being investigated as a crime scene.

The state's forensic anthropologist and the state archaeologist have determined they have found a fairly old burial site, Warwick Police Capt. Michael Babula said today.
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Babula said someone doing work in the basement on Saturday found the remains. The waterfront house, 183 Charlotte Drive, Warwick, was recently sold.

The remains seem to be from some time between the Colonial era of the 1700s to a couple of hundred years ago, Babula said. Investigators do not believe that the remains are from an earlier, Native American burial.

The state archaeologist will need to work with the home owner to investigate the scene further and ensure that the house is not sitting on a massive grave site.

But at this point, Babula said, "It's clearly not a criminal matter."

The house, just east of Goddard State Park, is right on the water's edge in the city's Potowomut section.

-- projo.com staff writer Brandie M. Jefferson, with reports from Journal staff writer Mike McKinney

Posted by Brandie Jefferson  at 12:50 PM | Permalink

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