On Thursday, September 21, 2017, at 10:35 a.m., Riverside Police were again called to the 100 block of Bloomingbank for skeletal remains from a known Native American burial site. This is an ongoing death investigation from a previous incident on Thursday, September 14.
The Army Corps of Engineers archaeologists were on scene, in accordance with federal regulations for the permitting of the sewer separation project, when the additional remains were found. The remains were turned over to Riverside Police Department so that officers can transport them to the Cook County Medical Examiner's office as part of the original discovery.
Riverside Police Chief Thomas Weitzel said police have recovered other evidence indicating the remains could have been those of settlers; a button recovered was consistent with those on early settler's clothing as documented in the early 1800's.
Once the Army Corps of Engineers archaeologists are done at the scene today, the dig site will be turned back over to Riverside Police and then the village can continue its sewer separation project.
Chief Weitzel said residents may see police officers, detectives, and evidence technicians in the area for the next few weeks (on and off). If there are more skeletal remains recovered, police must follow the same process to ensure these are not crime scenes but early settlers or Native American remains.