SELLERSBURG, Ind. (WDRB) -- A 5-year-old boy's body found Saturday night in a rural area of Washington County was discovered inside a suitcase, Indiana State Police said Tuesday.
ISP, which is still searching for the identity of the young boy, released a picture of the suitcase in hopes that someone recognizes it. The suitcase is in good condition, with Las Vegas logos wrapped around it.
ISP Sgt. Carey Huls said the body of the boy was found Saturday night by a mushroom hunter in a heavily wooded area of Washington County, approximately 80 feet off a rural road near New Pekin.
"It's a very emotional case for all the officers involved," Huls said. "A lot of things to go through and disturbing facts."
On Tuesday, Huls said the suitcase was found in the the 7000 block of East Holder Road, not far from East Bethel Road.
#UPDATE: Indiana State Police just gave an update - they now say the body of the boy found in the woods in Washington County was in a suitcase (below). @WDRBNews pic.twitter.com/TI2AEez5EU
— Joel Schipper (@JSchipperWDRB) April 19, 2022
Police are asking the public for help identifying the boy, whom Huls described as a Black boy about 4 feet tall with a slim build and short hair.
An autopsy was conducted on the boy Tuesday but it didn't determine how he died, Huls said. Police determined that he was 5 years old from dental records and they're still waiting toxicology results, which could take three to six weeks.
"We don't have a definitive answer at this moment for the cause of death so there are still a lot of unanswered questions even having that completed," Huls said.
#UPDATE: Indiana State Police just gave an update - they now say the body of the boy found in the woods in Washington County was in a suitcase (below). @WDRBNews pic.twitter.com/TI2AEez5EU
— Joel Schipper (@JSchipperWDRB) April 19, 2022
A woman, who didn't give her name, lives near where the body was found. She called it heartbreaking.
"Devastating to our community. How could someone do this to such an innocent child," she said.
On Monday, ISP created a tip line dedicate for information on the identity of the young boy. That number is 1-888-437-6432.
Police have received about 200 calls with tips so far from the public and have checked missing children databases with national, state and local agencies. So far, investigators have not found anything that's matched up.
Police are encouraging people to take a close look at the suitcase, for any possible leads.
"We are hoping that will jog somebody's memory to say, 'hey, I have seen that suitcase before recently' and that will give us more tips to go off of," Huls said.
This story will be updated.
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