Skeletal remains found in a suitcase dumped near a highway are a young girl aged two-and-a-half to four years who may have been killed up to eight years ago, South Australian police said on Friday.
"While the forensic analysis has not yet provided a conclusive result regarding this child's gender we are reasonably confident at this time that these are the remains of a girl who had fair hair and was 90-95cm tall," the officer in charge of the Major Crime Investigation Branch, Detective Superintendent Des Bray told a press conference.
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Photo: SA Police[/caption]
A mannequin with hair of a similar colour and length, dressed in new versions of items of clothing found with the body, was displayed to the media today as Task Force Mallee investigators continue their inquiries into the child's murder.
Police have received 223 calls to Crime Stoppers in relation to the discovery of the remains, near the Karoonda Highway about 2km west of the Wynarka township in the Murray Mallee region, on Wednesday 15 July.
Clothing and a suitcase – a new version of which was also displayed by police today - were found along with the remains.
Investigators believe the suitcase and its contents – including the child - were left at the location by an unknown person behind a bush and that at some stage someone tipped most of the contents out behind a nearby bush and left the suitcase near the roadside.
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Photo: SA Police[/caption]
While the suitcase now appears a grey colour, it was originally black and has faded.
Dtv-Supt Bray said the suitcase was first seen after road works were concluded in mid-March, but police are keen to hear from anyone who saw it, touched it or emptied its contents.
"We believe the child died elsewhere and was placed into the suitcase before being left at the Wynarka location," he said.
"For reasons I'm not going to disclose we are confident that this child was murdered and we would appeal for anyone with information that might assist us to make contact.
"This is a tragic case and we continue to follow a number of lines of inquiry in a bid to identify this child.
At this time 24 children have been nominated as potential victims, but have been ruled out by investigators who have determined that they are alive and not requiring any further police attention."
Police are still appealing to a man seen in the area about six to eight weeks ago with a dark suitcase to come forward.
Described as being aged about 60, of Caucasian appearance, average height, lightly built, clean cut and neatly dressed, he was seen by a number of locals in the area and investigators are seeking to identify him and potentially exclude him from the inquiry.
Anyone who saw the man or has seen the suitcase by the highway, or who has any information that may assist the investigation, is asked to contact Crime Stoppers.
