The remains of two young girls were found hidden in suitcases and buried in shallow graves near a Cleveland school on Monday evening, March 2, 2026. The discovery has triggered a homicide investigation that has shaken the South Collinwood community and left officials urgently trying to learn the identities of the victims.
A neighborhood resident walking his dog near East 162nd Street and Midland Avenue made the shocking find around 6 p.m. after his dog stopped near a mound of dirt at Saranac Playground, close to Ginn Academy, an all-boys public high school. What Phillip Donaldson uncovered inside a partly buried suitcase stunned even veteran investigators.
Donaldson told local reporters he returned to the area when his dog kept sniffing at a dirt pile and refused to move. After looking closer, he located a partially buried suitcase, opened it, and discovered a child’s head inside. He immediately contacted 911.
When Cleveland police arrived, they found the first girl’s body in a suitcase buried in a shallow grave. As they searched the area near the fence line at Saranac Playground, they uncovered a second shallow grave containing another suitcase with another child inside.
Cleveland Police Chief Dorothy Todd spoke at a press briefing on Tuesday regarding the devastating discovery. She confirmed both victims were young Black girls — one estimated to be between eight and 13, and the other between 10 and 14. Their bodies were intact and had not been dismembered, authorities said.
“It’s just a terrible, horrific situation,” Todd said in the briefing, emphasizing that investigators are working with community members to gather any possible leads.
The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office took custody of the remains and announced Wednesday morning that preliminary DNA testing showed the girls were half-sisters. However, their identities remain unknown, and no local missing children cases match their descriptions.
Officials have not released any suspect information, and the cause of death has not been determined. Todd noted investigators believe the bodies had been at the site for a while, though the timeline is uncertain. Heavy snow in the area may have hidden the graves.
The site is in a residential area near the school, though Todd mentioned it’s not a place with frequent foot traffic. Donaldson said he had only recently resumed walking his dog there due to recent snow, and it was his pet’s reaction that led to the discovery.
The Cleveland Division of Police has enlisted help from multiple agencies, including the FBI and the Department of Children and Family Services. Investigators are checking with state and federal partners to see if the victims match any missing children cases outside Cleveland.
Authorities stressed that there is no immediate sign of an ongoing threat to the public, though the investigation remains active. The lack of any matching missing persons reports adds another challenge for detectives.
Ward 10 City Councilman Mike Polensek, a longtime Collinwood resident, told local media he has been unable to sleep since learning of the tragedy. Several families reportedly pulled their children from Ginn Academy after the news spread.
Neighbor Cheryl Young, who has lived on the street facing the playground for 26 years, said she is stunned and frightened. “It’s just frightening to think that something like that has happened that close to where you live,” she said.
Todd urged residents to review their home security cameras for anything unusual — anyone lingering in the area or someone who seems out of place. She noted that in neighborhoods, people often notice small details that can be crucial for investigators.
Cleveland police created a 24-hour tip line specifically for this case. Anyone with information can call the Cleveland police homicide unit at 216-623-5464, or submit tips to Crime Stoppers at 216-252-7463.
The investigation is ongoing as authorities work to identify the girls and determine what led to their deaths. The medical examiner will conduct autopsies to establish the cause and manner of death, while homicide detectives pursue leads in what is now considered one of Cleveland’s most disturbing cases in years.
For now, the two half-sisters remain Jane Does — unnamed and unknown. Cleveland police are working urgently to restore their identities and bring to justice whoever is responsible for ending their lives and discarding them with such disregard.
