Unearthing of human skull halts home construction

Journal Staff Human remains have been found during the excavation of a north-end construction site.

Journal Staff

Human remains have been found during the excavation of a north-end construction site.

Work was halted on a new home going up on Colborne Road at Lakeshore after workers uncovered a human skull on April 26, Sarnia Police Service have confirmed.

The forensic unit attended the scene and quickly determined the situation was not suspicious.

Const. John Sottosanti said city police are no longer investigating and the skull has been turned over to Western University anthropologists for further study.

“They determined that it wasn’t from the last few decades,” Sottosanti said.

Ontario’s Registrar of Cemeteries is working with the property owner to determine next steps and if further archeological work is required, he added.

A spokesperson with the Registrar office’s said its priority is to ensure the human remains are treated with dignity and respect.

“If the police deem the situation not to be suspicious, as in this case‎, the landowner is responsible for taking the steps necessary to preserve the site, the human remains and any artifacts until a final disposition is made,” said Aleks Dhefto. “They are also responsible for hiring a licensed archaeologist to do the investigation, which will consider the nature, age, extent and cultural affiliation of the human remains.”

In this case, the City of Sarnia confirmed it would secure the site with a fence and retain the services of an archaeologist to conduct the investigation, he added.