While walking a dog in Memphis in early March, a person found what appeared to be a skull near a wooded area — a shocking discovery that has since led to the recovery of what’s believed to be the remains of three young children, Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn Davis said Wednesday, calling the case “disturbing” and “heartbreaking.”

Authorities are now working to identify the children, who are estimated to be between the ages of three and seven, and the “circumstances surrounding their deaths,” Davis said during a press briefing Wednesday announcing the discovery.

The investigation began on March 8, after the individual reported a possible human skull near a wooded area of Hickory Hill, in southeast Memphis, the police chief said. 

Over the ensuing weeks, investigators with the Memphis Police Department’s homicide unit and the Shelby County Medical Examiner’s Office uncovered additional human remains during a search of the area. The remains are believed to have been there for a “few years,” Davis said. No other items beyond bone fragments have been found, she said.

The search is ongoing in what Davis referred to as a crime scene, with approximately 170 personnel involved. Local, state and federal agencies, including the FBI, are assisting, she said.

“The size of this response reflects the scope of the search area and our commitment to being thorough and not the presence of any immediate danger,” Davis said, noting there is no indication of any active threat to the public.

Davis said a review of recent missing persons reports for the area did not turn up anything, and they are considering the possibility that the children could have been from outside Memphis. 

The police chief urged the public to reach out with any information. 

“Somebody knows where these children have come from. Someone knows of missing children that we have discovered in this area,” Davis said. “This is heartbreaking, it’s disturbing.” 

“At this time,” she continued, “we have numerous resources to help us to identify these young people and bring closure to this investigation.”