'Part of a person' found in sewer dig at Caruthersville

Dyersburg State Gazette

CARUTHERSVILLE, Mo. -- A construction crew working to repair a sewer problem on Tuesday cracked what appeared to be a burial vault when what police describe as "part of a person" was found in a pipe.

The location of the dig, near the First United Methodist Church on Broadway, is thought to be a long-forgotten cemetery. Work on the area was immediately halted and city officials began to research the history of the area. The land evidently was the site of an early city cemetery.

A news release from the police department said the investigation into the incident "concluded the construction crew had hit a cast iron burial vault.

"A corner of the vault was damaged, revealing the remains of an unknown person," the release said. The burial casket was covered back up by the construction crew, police said.

Upon further exploration, sewer workers were unable to find any headstones.