3 Human Skulls Donated To Thrift Store, Medical Examiner Asks For Public’s Help

Three human skulls donated to a thrift store in Bellevue, Washington is at the top of an investigation since it was discovered the items were actual “remains.” AJC reports that the King County Medical Examiner’s Office in Seattle is seeking the public’s help in learning more about who dropped off the skulls.

Dr. Kathy Taylor, King County Forensic Anthropologist says:

“The Goodwill in Bellevue received a donation that included three human skulls and they recognized immediately that they were actual human remains.”

Two of the skulls are those from adults and the third one appears to be very old remains from a Native American child. Washington state law requires that the Native American’s skull must be returned to the tribe that it belongs to. The medical examiner needs assistance in finding out what tribe the child was affiliated with. The two adult skulls were used in a clinical setting or for instruction. Keith Seinfield with Public Health — Seattle & King County:

“We could tell by the way that they were reconstructed and wired together that they were used in a clinical setting.”

The office is requesting that the person who donated the skulls to the thrift shop come forward. No penalty will be issued to that individual. Authorities just want to identify the remains.

The medical examiner’s office says this in a statement about the skulls they’re trying to identify:

“The Native American skull must be repatriated to its tribe of origin, by state law. However, additional details are needed, to properly identify the correct tribe or tribes. The Medical Examiner is requesting that the private citizen who donated the skulls provide information, without penalty, about the origin of the child’s skull.”

King 5 reports that the skulls were donated in June to the Goodwill store. When employees realized the three skulls were human remains, they contacted the medical examiner’s office and authorities.

The report adds that if someone is given or inherits skulls, they can turn them into the medical examiner’s office without being penalized. If someone comes across human remains randomly, then they’re legally required to alert law enforcement to handle things from there.

If anyone has any information about these skulls of interest, you’re asked to contact the King County Medical Examiner’s Office at 206-731-3232, ext.1.

Hopefully more will be learned about the the three human skulls that were donated to the Goodwill store soon and that the tribe of the child be found out.

[Image via Commons Wikimedia]