‘Burned’ human bones found near Colorado campground were left by a family, cops say

Burned bones and ashes were found scattered near a Colorado campsite, authorities said.

On Monday, April 25, the Saguache County Sheriff’s Office received a tip that someone discovered what looked like bones near the gate of a campground in Crestone, about 200 miles south of Denver.

“The bones did appear to be human in appearance and appeared to have been burned or cremated, as there was what appeared to be ashes mixed in with bones,” the sheriff’s office said in a news release.

Officials from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation recovered the bones from the scene on Tuesday, April 26.

At the time, authorities were trying to identify the remains. A day later, however, officials learned the bones had been scattered by family members.

The family couldn’t get to the trailhead because the road was closed for the season, authorities said. They left the remains behind near the road instead.

The sheriff’s office said officials didn’t intend to disturb a final resting place, but an investigation was launched because the bones were scattered along the side of the road.

“Saguache County Coroner is working with the family to return the remains of their loved one,” authorities said. “The Saguache County Sheriff’s Office respects the ability to scatter ashes of loved ones in places that the family and friends of the deceased hold special to them.”

This story was originally published April 28, 2022 at 11:38 AM with the headline "‘Burned’ human bones found near Colorado campground were left by a family, cops say."