Human Skull Found by Family During Easter Egg Hunt in Long Beach Park

What was meant to be a holiday afternoon at a Long Beach park became a disturbing scene when children searching for Easter eggs along a walking trail found what turned out to be a human skull, partially buried in the dirt.

The discovery was made around 5 p.m. on Easter Sunday, April 5, at DeForest Park and Wetlands near 6255 De Forest Avenue in Long Beach, California. Aerial footage from ABC7's AIR7 captured the stark contrast at the scene: a white investigative tent covering the skull, with colorful Easter eggs scattered on the path just feet away, as two officers moved to cover the object with a canopy.

Long Beach Police Department officers responded immediately. By Monday, April 6, the LBPD confirmed the remains were human, specifically a skull, but said more information was needed to determine the full circumstances. Preliminary, unconfirmed reports suggested the skull may belong to an infant or small child; small bones believed to be associated with it were also found nearby. How long the remains had been at the location was not immediately known. An LBPD spokesperson confirmed to USA TODAY on Monday: "It was found during an Easter Egg hunt."

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office was called to respond, and as of early Monday morning, officers remained on site awaiting the arrival of the office's forensic anthropologist team, whose examination will be central to establishing the identity of the remains and how long they may have been buried there.

Marc Zaldana was at the park for an Easter gathering and was walking the trail when he came upon the family in the moments just after the discovery. He described what he witnessed to CBS LA: "At first, we saw the family there, doing like an Easter egg hunt, but they were freaking out a little bit. I can only imagine, like for them, finding a dead, another kid. Must be tragic for them." He added: "It's a day you want to spend with family. You don't expect something like this. You expect to have a wholesome time."

Jessica Flores, a longtime Long Beach resident who visits the park regularly with her family, told KTLA and NBC4 she was shaken. "I'm just beside myself because we come here all the time," she said. "It hurts because if it's a child, that's very sad. I just hope they figure out who's child this is."

DeForest Park and Wetlands runs along the Los Angeles River and the 710 Freeway, roughly 7 to 8 miles north of downtown Long Beach. The park includes wetlands, nature trails, sports courts, playgrounds, and a community center, making it one of the area's most frequented family destinations. Multiple families with young children had been holding Easter egg hunts across the park earlier that same afternoon before the discovery upended what had been a busy holiday gathering.

As of Monday, the LBPD and the LA County Medical Examiner's forensic anthropologist team were working to establish the identity of the remains and what brought them to a walking trail in one of Long Beach's most visited family parks.