Skeletal Remains Discovered Near Historic NYC Church During Construction

Skeletal remains were discovered by construction workers on Thursday in a garden area near St. John’s Lutheran Church in Manhattan’s West Village. The discovery occurred around 11 a.m. as workers were excavating the site located at Christopher Street and Seventh Avenue, according to the NYPD and law enforcement sources.

Authorities arrived at the scene and found skeletal remains, including parts of a spine and a skull, buried five feet below the surface under a layer of brick. The area where the remains were found is on the site of a former cemetery dating back to the mid-1800s. Investigators are examining whether the bones are remnants from a burial plot.

The Office of the Medical Examiner will conduct an examination to determine the cause of death. The NYPD and law enforcement sources have confirmed the details of the discovery.