Mystery Deepens After Two Young Black Girls Are Found Dead in Suitcases on Cleveland’s East Side [Video]

Police in Cleveland are searching for answers after the bodies of two young Black girls were discovered inside suitcases buried in shallow graves on the city’s east side.

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Investigators believe the victims were between the ages of 8 and 14. Authorities have not yet identified the girls, and police say they have not been linked to any active missing persons cases in the area.

The investigation began Monday evening when a dog walker noticed something suspicious near East 162nd Street and Midland Avenue and contacted police around 6 p.m., according to Cleveland Police Chief Dorothy Todd.

Responding officers located the first suitcase containing a body. While searching the area, homicide detectives later found a second shallow grave with another suitcase that also contained a body.

Police said the area where the remains were discovered does not receive much foot traffic, which may have delayed the discovery.

“We are hoping to find answers,” Cleveland Police Chief Dorothy Todd said Tuesday at a news conference. “This is a terrible, tragic situation.”

Both bodies were transported to the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office as investigators work to determine the girls’ identities and how they died.

“At this time, there are no clear indicators of the cause of death of the two young females,” Todd said. “We don’t know how long the juveniles had been at this location. It was some time, so it’s not just something that was recent.”

Authorities say detectives are canvassing the surrounding neighborhood for surveillance footage and witnesses.

“Detectives have been actively canvassing the area, but the problem is the timeline,” Todd said.

Police say there are currently no suspects or leads.