On New Year’s Eve, police were called to reports of a suspicious object’ floating in a pond in Harlow. Officers said today that the remains may have been in the water ‘for several weeks’. “We were called shortly before 2pm on Saturday by (a) member of the public who reported a suspicious object in the water,” Detective Superintendent Rob Kirby said. He stated that based on the circumstances surrounding the body’s discovery, police believe the person’s death is suspicious, but that the investigation is still in its early stages. Police have blocked off access to the green wooded area surrounding Oakwood Pond in Harlow, where the human remains were discovered on New Year’s Eve. Mr. Kirby stated that the cordon will be in place for several days while they conduct searches of the area, including draining a pond. The victim’s identity is still being sought by police. Mr. Kirby stated that police are unsure if the human remains are connected to a missing person’s case at this time. “We will always contact organisations, particularly those in charge of missing persons,” he said. According to some witnesses, the human remains have been there for some time.” “I believe the indication is several weeks.” “We’re keeping an open mind about how the remains got there,” he added. Hopefully, we should get some forensic test results by the end of the week,” he said when asked when police expect to receive forensic results. “As soon as we identify the victim, we’ll be in a much better position.” “We are working tirelessly to bring those responsible to justice,” he added.
