Body Found Near Ruby Hill Park

DENVER (CBS4)- Police in Denver said some teenagers were walking in the area of Ruby Hill Park Friday afternoon when they opened a suitcase and found a body inside.

"I saw it with my own eyes. The pool was around it. The suitcase was in the middle. The body was in the suitcase and the suitcase was partially covered up with some hay and some dirt," said 16-year-old Jose Silva.

Police said the teens spotted the body in the area of 1700 W. Atlantic Place, southeast of Jewell and Raritan in Denver. The teens contacted some public works employees in the area who then called police.

Detectives with the homicide division are investigating the situation. Officers started excavating the ground around where the body was found and marking what might be considered evidence.

The age and gender of the deceased person has not been released.

"We were in the back of the field looking for scraps of metal to go recycle him," said 13-year-old Emmanuel Silva. "I saw the leg of the dead body and I told Jimmy I think it's a dead body."

"At first I didn't believe him. I lifted up the flap and a bunch of flies came out. I didn't see anything, really. I lifted it up again and there was a dead body," said 13-year-old Jimmy Love.

The boys who found the body told CBS4 Reporter Jodi Brooks that they were searching for scrap metal so they could make extra money when they found a suitcase covered in mud and grass. It was sitting in a plastic kiddie pool in the middle of a field.

"It looked like they started digging the hole, but then they got lazy or something. They didn't finish the job," said 16-year-old Jose Silva. "Like in one of those kiddie pools you fill up with a hose, like he was in the middle of that. Then the body was in the suitcase and he was in the fetal position."

Silva said inside that suitcase was what looked to be a child's body. Police could not confirm the age of the body found. They said there are no reports of any missing children from the area.

Police expect to have more information on the case this weekend. Detectives are awaiting the coroner's report.