OPPOn July 4, 2015 at around 2:45 p.m., South Porcupine Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officers responded to the report of a found human skull that was located on an embankment in MacKeown Township in the Kenogamissi Lake area.

The OPP North East Region Crime Unit, under the direction of the OPP Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB) Acting Detective Inspector Gilles Depratto, and the Regional Coroner were called in to assist with the investigation.

Further investigation of some of the remains was conducted by a forensic anthropologist from the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services (MCSCS) Ontario Forensic Pathology Service (OFPS) in Toronto.  The preliminary results of this examination indicate that the remains are part of an historical burial site.

The Ministry of Government and Consumer Services (MGCS) – Cemeteries Regulation Unit has been contacted and will be working with various local agencies and landowners to continue an archaeological investigation at the identified location.

At this time foul play is not suspected and there is no threat to public safety.  The South Porcupine OPP, North East Region Crime Unit and OPP CIB will continue to assist the involved government agencies when required as the investigation unfolds.