Featured Image Credit: Facebook/Highlands County Sheriff's Office - Sheriff Paul Blackman
Topics: Facebook, Police, Social Media, US News, Horror
Poppy Bilderbeck
Topics: Facebook, Police, Social Media, US News, Horror
Authorities are appealing for information after a group of children made an eerie discovery inside an abandoned house.
You know in horror films where a character hears a noise and instead of running straight out the door or calling the police, they go downstairs to investigate? Well, this is one of those moments.
If you have a weird love of horror and would bound into an abandoned house on a dare rather than give it a wide berth, then take this as a warning.
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On July 11, the Highlands County Sheriff's Office took to Facebook to share a press release, revealing a group of children were 'playing inside' an 'abandoned home on Memorial Drive in Avon Park' in central Florida when they made a startling discovery.
"[The children] discovered skeletal remains inside the home Thursday afternoon and reported it to a nearby adult, who called deputies," the report stated.
Upon visiting the property, officials discovered the remains appeared 'to have been inside the home for well over a year' and they believe the person 'was using the house as a shelter'.
The report added: "Detectives are working to positively identify the person and the medical examiner will attempt to determine a cause of death."
And it's not taken long for people to weigh in on the post, with the responses very much divided.
One Facebook user wrote: "I certainly feel for the children (scary for them), parents of the children, the lost soul and their loved ones. May they all find peace and healing."
Another added: "Scary for those kids. But least they told someone they couldn't have an this person could have never gotten discovered. Hopefully it can bring closure to a family of this person."
However, others were more critical of the children going to play in the abandoned house in the first place.
One user wrote: "Why the world were children playing in an abandoned structure ? where were the parents??"
"Why were children playing in there? Looks very unsafe and a place for bad things to be taken place. Abandoned houses are often used as drug houses. Just a scary place to imagine allowing your children to play. I’m sorry for the person that was found deceased," a second chimed.
A spokesperson for Highlands County Sheriff's Office told UNILAD there has been 'progress' in identifying the person but it will be 'several weeks' before a 'positive identification' can be made.
They added a reminder to parents to 'tell their kids that playing in abandoned buildings can be dangerous'.
They revealed: "In addition to what the kids found, there is a massive bee hive in the walls of that home. If the children had disturbed that hive, it could have turned into a dangerous situation, especially if one of the kids was allergic."
Anyone with information that may assist the investigation is asked to call 863-402-7250 or email [email protected].
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact The Compassionate Friends on (877) 969-0010.