The body of a young boy found over the weekend in rural Indiana was stuffed inside a suitcase, authorities have revealed.
Indiana State Police released a photo of the suitcase in hopes that someone might recognize it and come forward with information. The suitcase has a plastic hard shell imprinted with a distinctive design featuring the iconic "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign, and is in good condition.
At this point, investigators aren't sure who the boy is or how he died.
The suitcase was discovered by a mushroom hunter at about 7:30 p.m. on Saturday in a heavily wooded area of eastern Washington County, according to police.
A medical examiner's report is pending, but investigators believe the boy is about 5-years-old and likely died within the past week.
"An autopsy was conducted on Tuesday; however, no information as to the cause of death was determined," Indiana State Police said in a statement. "Results of the toxicology report are still pending, and investigators are hopeful that information will shed more light on the cause of death."
Toxicology results could take up to six weeks.
The suitcase was located just off the roadway in the 7000 block of East Holder Road in New Pekin, a rural part of southern Indiana about 45 minutes from the state's border with Louisville, Kentucky. Police are hoping someone will recognize its distinct pattern.
"We are hoping that will jog somebody's memory to say, 'Hey, I have seen that suitcase before recently' and that will give us more tips to go off of," Sgt. Carey Huls told WDRB.
On Monday, a toll-free tip line was established to collect information in the case. Despite hundreds of calls, police say none of the tips have led to the child's identification.
The child is described as a Black male, approximately four-feet tall with a slender build and short haircut. Police say he doesn't match any reports of missing children in the area.
"This obviously could be a national thing," Huls told WAVE News. "It could be a child from any location. We're not going to preclude anybody, and we're going to look at any information that comes in that could answer the question of the identity of this child."
Police have reportedly requested assistance from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Anybody with information should call the tip line at 1-888-437-6432.
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