Human remains found in Hilton Head woods

The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office is investigating reports of skeletal human remains found Saturday on Hilton Head Island in a wooded area near Spanish Wells Road, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

The remains were found by the landowner late Christmas Eve afternoon, said Sherriff’s Office spokesman Capt. Bob Bromage.

Deputies arrived at the scene and confirmed the remains were human. The identity of the deceased as well as the cause and manner of death are still not known due to the condition of the remains, Bromage said. The age of the remains is also not yet determined.

Sheriff’s Office investigators, the crime scene unit and coroner’s office personnel investigated the scene.

The coroner’s office will schedule a forensic autopsy to be performed at the Medical University of South Carolina, according to a Sheriff’s Office news release.

This story was originally published December 24, 2016 at 7:28 PM with the headline "Human remains found in Hilton Head woods."