Newburgh police Chief Eric Paolilli said the cause and manner of death could not be determined until blood, tissue and toxicology samples are analyzed by the state police.
“Only after DNA testing is done can a positive identification be made,” he said.
Samples were transported to the state police lab in Albany Thursday “it could take up to 30 days, but we have asked to put a rush on it.”
(snip)
Police found the small body Wednesday inside a bag in a wooded area in the southeastern part of the city, several blocks from Bookal’s home.
City police Lt. Charles Broe said, “We stared the search in the block where the house was, then the blocks around it, and expanded the perimeter out. That’s when the trooper dog caught the scent.
“They were walking right along the sidewalk,” he said.
Broe the body was found up a steep hill, about 25 to 30 feet from the sidewalk.
He believed the body was there “for some time. ”
Sub-freezing temperatures may have slowed the decomposition process. That may have made it more difficult for cadaver dogs to pick up any scent, when teams first searched for the boy in December and January, he said.
Broe said the decision to recanvass the area Wednesday was based on the weather.
“People are convinced that we had known something,” he said. “The weather had turned, then we got so much rain, which melted the snow...we discussed that it would be prudent for us to go back and start again.”
Broe said the body was “not as decomposed” as he would have expected.
Paolilli said Wednesday a preliminary investigation of the remains seemed to indicate they belonged to a small child. Paolilli said it appeared the body was placed at the location with the intent of hiding it.
“There may be some difficulty in that the normal course of business to identify unknown remains would be to use fingerprints or dental records, and a child this young may not have those available,” Paolilli said
http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/...25006/Police--No-ID-made-for-Newburgh-remains