Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
SYRACUSE - While digging for rocks in the shallow water of Lake Wawasee, a Syracuse woman unearthed a human skull preliminarily believed to be that of a primitive human.
Debra A. Thomas of East Hatchery Road called the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department after her discovery shortly after 4 p.m. Tuesday. Thomas told police she was about 10 feet out from shore looking for rocks and, while digging, lifted up what she thought was a human skull. She put the skull on the shore and called police.
According to Kosciusko County Coroner Larry Ladd, the skull is missing the mandible but is otherwise "pretty well intact." Ladd said the skull will be examined by a forensic anthropologist at the University of Indianapolis to determine its age, but it is believed to have been in the water for quite some time.
"By all accounts, it looks like a primitive skull of an early teen or older child ... 12, 13, 14 or so," Ladd said. "I'm suspecting it might be a primitive or Indian skull."
Because of the condition of the skull - Ladd said it is quite discolored and had moss and weeds growing on it - "we know it's been in there a long time," he said.
Another possibility is that the skull is related to a decades-old unsolved drowning case and Ladd said that avenue also will be investigated. Because the skull is not from a current investigation, Ladd said he couldn't pinpoint a timetable for testing on the skull to be complete.
