PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A new revelation came Friday evening about the supposedly destroyed remains of the 1985 MOVE bombing victims, as those remains appear to have been found intact late Friday afternoon.
Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney said that the Medical Examiner's Office discovered a box with the label "MOVE" on Friday. They compared the box's contents to a list of bones and bodily fragments from previous investigations, and they believe the box holds the remains which were believed to have been destroyed in 2017.
Philadelphia Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley resigned Thursday, exactly 36 years after Philadelphia police dropped a bomb on the MOVE compound along Osage Avenue, killing six adults and five children. Fires spread across more than 60 West Philadelphia row homes over a three-block area.
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Mayor Kenney said that once further investigations are completed, the city will give the MOVE victims' remains to the Africa family.
You can read Mayor Kenney's full statement below:
“Late this afternoon, Medical Examiner’s Office (MEO) staff notified the Managing Director’s Office that a box labeled MOVE was located in a refrigerated area at their office. After comparing the contents of the box to an inventory of bone specimens and fragments from 2017, they appear to be the remains thought to have been cremated four years ago.
“Members of the Africa family were at the Medical Examiner’s Office this afternoon to review documents pertaining to the bombing. I personally informed them that the box had been located and its contents were described to them by the Interim Medical Examiner. MEO officials also answered questions asked by the family and representatives. Once the investigation is complete, the City will return the remains to the victims’ family in accordance with their wishes.
“I am relieved that these remains were found and not destroyed, however I am also very sorry for the needless pain that this ordeal has caused the Africa family. There are many unanswered questions including why the remains were not cremated as Dr. Farley directed. There are also clearly many areas for improvement in procedures used by the Medical Examiner’s Office.
“The investigation of this incident and the handling of the remains of all victims of the 1985 MOVE bombing will continue. I pledge full transparency to the family of the victims and I hope that this latest discovery can give them some level of solace.”
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