A group of teenagers made a horrible discovery when they found a decomposing body located in a freezer in an abandoned house in South Carolina, officials said. Days after the discovery, the house mysteriously caught fire and now the police are investigating, officials said.
On Tuesday, firefighters from the Orangeburg County Fire Department said the morning fire at Norway’s home was considered “suspect”. The reason has yet to be determined, the WSOC reported.
The group of teenagers was on an ATV on Sunday when they stopped to explore the abandoned property after hearing rumors that the house had been haunted. Once inside, they found a corpse with jeans and sneakers in a freezer located on the back porch of the house. The stench was described by one of the witnesses as “rotten meat”, according to an incident report from the Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office, the state reported.
“As soon as the seal came off, it was just a horrible smell,” Corey Antley told WACH Fox57.
Police have since declared the house a crime scene and the body has been handed over to the county coroner’s office, WSOC TV reported.
The Coroner’s Office in Orangeburg County confirmed that the remains were found in the freezer, but are still working on determining sex, identity and form of death, News 19 reported.
“We will know nothing more until the autopsy is completed later this week,” said Orangeburg sheriff spokesman Richard Walker, according to The State.
Madison Childers, one of the teenagers who was part of the group, said the disturbing experience left her shaken.
“It was very scary. I couldn’t tell it was a person, because … I think it’s been there for months,” Childers told The State, adding that “there were worms everywhere.”
Vice-coroner Sean D. Fogle of Orangeburg County issued a statement about the incident. “This process will take some time, as we methodically investigate this case to ensure proper closure and positive results,”
The owner of the abandoned property is reportedly cooperating with investigators, WSOC-TV reported.
The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is encouraged to call 1-888-CRIME-SC.
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