The bodies of two young Black girls were discovered stuffed inside suitcases and buried in shallow graves on Cleveland’s east side, authorities announced Tuesday (March 3), setting off a homicide investigation with no identified victims and no suspects.
Cleveland Police Chief Dorothy Todd said officers were first called to a field near East 162nd Street and Midland Avenue around 6 p.m. on Monday (March 2), after a man walking his dog noticed something alarming. The dog picked up a scent, and the man immediately called 911. When homicide detectives arrived, they found two bodies in separate suitcases, each partially buried in a shallow grave.
Investigators believe the girls had been at the location for a significant period of time. One victim is believed to be between 8 and 13 years old, and the other is estimated to be between 10 and 14 years old. Neither girl has been identified.
“We are hoping to find answers,” Chief Todd said at a Tuesday news conference. “This is a terrible, tragic situation.”
Todd said the area does not see a lot of foot traffic, which may have made it easier for the bodies to go undetected. “We don’t know how long the juveniles had been at this location,” she said. “It was some time, so it’s not just something that was recent.”
The bodies are now in the custody of the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office. Todd said there are “no clear indicators of the cause of death” at this time.
Detectives have been canvassing the area and working with state and federal partners to identify the victims. So far, neither girl has been connected to any active missing persons cases in the region.
Authorities have no leads or suspects. Anyone with information is urged to call the Cleveland Police Department’s Homicide unit at 216-623-5464, or Crime Stoppers at 216-252-7463.
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