:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/NICQNFPQYFCHZBAYNGRE363Y24.jpg "Human remains found in search of Putnam County mother, investigators say")
GROWING CITY, Florida. – An intensified search for a missing mother from the 20-year-old Putnam County found human remains on Saturday in a heavily wooded area outside Crescent City, investigators said.
The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office called the Florida Police Department’s mobile crime lab to help identify the remains, which were found around 8 am on Saturday.
Sheriff Colonel Joe Wells said investigators have not yet been able to determine the sex of the remains or whether they belong to an adult. He said the only thing they are sure of so far is that the remains are human.
“We are still in the long, painstaking and tedious process of recovering those remains and investigating the crime scene in that area,” said Wells. “We certainly do not know if they are related to the (missing persons) case or we are not sure.”
Wells said detectives have yet to say how long the remains have been in the forest. They are using 3D scans of the scene, as well as metal detectors to slowly recover the remains and preserve them for autopsy and find any evidence that is in the area.
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He said investigators expect the remains to be identified early next week.
For now, officials are still looking for 20-year-old Nyeisha Nelson, whose vehicle was found abandoned on Thursday in a wooded area near Old US 17, not far from Crescent City. It was sued for evidence and K9 units searched the area, but there was no sign of it.
“The search is still very active and ongoing,” said Wells. “We are still asking anyone who might have any information about contacting her or her vehicle to contact us.”
Wells said the remains were found about 4 to 5 miles northwest of where Nelson’s vehicle was found.
[Watch the full news conference update below:]
Two days after Nelson’s family reported his disappearance to the Putnam County sheriff’s office, the agency asked the public for help on Friday.
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According to family members, Nelson picked up his 5-year-old daughter on February 10 and the next morning took her to school. Deputies said a neighbor reported seeing Nelson in the backyard of his Ohio Street home in Crescent City before stepping out in his gray 2008 Honda Accord, wearing a white T-shirt, gray shorts and carrying a bag.
Family members said Nelson normally maintains contact several times a day, but has not been in contact with anyone since February 11.
“If someone saw my baby, you can call, please contact the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office or me,” Nelson’s mother, Chasity Nelson, told a news conference on Friday afternoon. “You can be anonymous. I just want to know where my baby is. “
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Wells said that Nyeisha Nelson is well known and worked on her own as a hairdresser. He said there has been a demonstration of support from the community.
The Sheriff’s Office told News4Jax that there was no sign of crime in his home and there was no activity on his bank card.
“We are covering all possible angles. We are interviewing people as they get our attention. We are receiving a lot of tips and information from the community and working hard to quickly follow each one as soon as they arrive, ”said Wells.
Wells said it is not uncommon for several days to pass before healthy adults are reported missing. He said the detectives interviewed several witnesses and collected a lot of evidence.
Anyone with information about Nelson’s whereabouts or if he has seen her at any time since February 11 should call 911 or, to remain anonymous, call Northeast Florida’s CrimeStoppers at 1-888-277-8477.
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