A partially mummified child's corpse was discovered during renovation work in the basement of the more than 100-year-old Boys' Primary School in Vöcklabruck, Upper Austria. The skeletal remains were found by workers renovating the historic school building.
The police are currently investigating how long the remains had been in the school cellar and how they ended up there, but it is still unclear, according to Münchner Merkur. Initial examinations suggest that the skeleton is "very old," and the corpse could be older than the school itself.
The forensic medicine department in Salzburg is working to clarify the circumstances surrounding the skeletonized child's corpse. The Austrian State Criminal Police Office (Landeskriminalamt) and the Public Prosecutor's Office (Staatsanwaltschaft) have initiated investigations into the unusual find, Münchner Merkur reports.
Initial analyses indicate that the remains are likely those of a child and could have served as a teaching aid, as was common in earlier times, according to Münchner Merkur.
The corpse was likely kept in a container, reported the Bild.
Investigators have not ruled out the possibility of foul play. "Theoretically, it could also be that the child was murdered and laid there in the basement," a police spokesman was quoted by the news portal OÖN, as reported by T-Online.
Mayor Peter Schobesberger of Vöcklabruck has commented on the discovery, urging calm among the community. "The find is probably older than the school; it's an exciting topic, but no reason for concern," he said, as reported by T-Online.
"It must, of course, be investigated, but no one needs to panic or be afraid; the find is likely to be ancient," said Vöcklabruck mayor Peter Schobesberger.
"I feel sorry for the teachers and students who are now being bombarded with inquiries, and I hope that they will have normal school lessons on Monday and, after this excitement, a quiet Advent season," he said.
This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq