SOUTH POINT — Police in South Point are investigating skeletal human remains, which were discovered over the weekend, but have been there for a long time before they were found.

South Point Police were called Saturday, just before 3 p. m., with notification of possible human remains being found in a wooded area along Fourth Street near the train bridge.

Upon arrival, officers concluded the remains were human.

Police Chief Chris Mahjer said on Wednesday that the identity is unknown and that the remains were skeletal.

He said, due to the decay of the remains, the department is working with colleges and professors on identification.

“It’s going to be laborious,” he said.

Mahjer said they are looking into old missing persons cases over multiple decades.

He said they wanted to let the public know what officers were doing at the location.

“We were there over the weekend and brought in cadaver dogs,” he said.

South Point police were assisted by the Lawrence County Coroners Office, the Norfolk Southern Railroad Police and the Kentucky Rescue Dog Association.

Mahjer wanted to give a special thanks to the rescue dog association, who he pointed out volunteered their time for the investigation and were there at their own expense.

Anyone with information is asked to contact South Point police at 740-377-4011.