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| Jersey murder inquiry 'unlikely' | |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Remains of at least five children aged between four and 11 have been found in the search of a former children's home in Jersey, police have said. | Remains of at least five children aged between four and 11 have been found in the search of a former children's home in Jersey, police have said. |
| However, officers say there is unlikely to be a murder inquiry because an exact date cannot be put on the remains. | However, officers say there is unlikely to be a murder inquiry because an exact date cannot be put on the remains. |
| So far police have found 65 milk teeth and more than 100 bone fragments at the former Haut de la Garenne home. | So far police have found 65 milk teeth and more than 100 bone fragments at the former Haut de la Garenne home. |
| About 100 people have made allegations of abuse at the home between the early 1960s and 1986. | About 100 people have made allegations of abuse at the home between the early 1960s and 1986. |
| Burned remains | Burned remains |
| Police experts have said the condition of the teeth meant they could only have come out after death. | Police experts have said the condition of the teeth meant they could only have come out after death. |
| Two pieces of the bone fragments have been identified so far, one from a child's leg and another from inside a child's ear. | Two pieces of the bone fragments have been identified so far, one from a child's leg and another from inside a child's ear. |
| At the end of the day there just might not be the evidence to mount a homicide inquiry Deputy Chief Officer Lenny HarperJersey Police | At the end of the day there just might not be the evidence to mount a homicide inquiry Deputy Chief Officer Lenny HarperJersey Police |
| Police have evidence the remains were burned, and that attempts were made to conceal them in the late 1960s or early 1970s. | Police have evidence the remains were burned, and that attempts were made to conceal them in the late 1960s or early 1970s. |
| Deputy Chief Officer Lenny Harper, who is leading the investigation, told the BBC: "We were pinning our hopes on the process of carbon dating. | Deputy Chief Officer Lenny Harper, who is leading the investigation, told the BBC: "We were pinning our hopes on the process of carbon dating. |
| "The latest information we're getting is that for the period we're looking at, it's not going to be possible to give us an exact time of death." | "The latest information we're getting is that for the period we're looking at, it's not going to be possible to give us an exact time of death." |
| Valuable evidence | Valuable evidence |
| He added: "The indications are that if the results come back the same way as they have now it is obvious there won't be a homicide inquiry. | He added: "The indications are that if the results come back the same way as they have now it is obvious there won't be a homicide inquiry. |
| "We cannot get away from the fact that we have found the remains of at least five children there. | "We cannot get away from the fact that we have found the remains of at least five children there. |
| "But at the end of the day there just might not be the evidence to mount a homicide inquiry in an attempt to bring anybody to justice." | "But at the end of the day there just might not be the evidence to mount a homicide inquiry in an attempt to bring anybody to justice." |
| However, Mr Harper said a number of valuable pieces of evidence had been found which "substantially corroborate" accounts of abuse at the home. | However, Mr Harper said a number of valuable pieces of evidence had been found which "substantially corroborate" accounts of abuse at the home. |
| Jersey Police started an exploratory search of the home and made their first significant discovery on 23 February, finding what they believed to be a skull fragment. | Jersey Police started an exploratory search of the home and made their first significant discovery on 23 February, finding what they believed to be a skull fragment. |
| It came two years after the start of a covert investigation into abuse following allegations by former residents. | It came two years after the start of a covert investigation into abuse following allegations by former residents. |