Woman Discovers Human Jaw While Shelling On Florida Beach

A woman exploring a Florida beach made a chilling discovery after she picked up what she believed to be a whalebone. Rebecca Dodds told WINK News she was shelling on Sanibel and Captiva Islands on Wednesday (February 14) when she discovered a mysterious piece of bone.

Eventually, she and her family realized it was a jaw from a human person.

“I thought I found a whalebone or something, and I just threw it in my shell bag,” Dodds states, calling the situation "surreal." She wonders if the skeletal remains are from a victim of Hurricane Ian or a missing persons case.

Reporters spoke with Sara Ayers-Rigsby , the region director of the Florida Public Archaeology Network, about the origins of the jaw bone. The archaeologist believes the remains may belong to an Indigenous person from centuries ago.

“The number one concern is that it could be recent and associated with some kind of recent– potentially, a crime, and no one can make that determination except for law enforcement,” Ayers-Rigsby explained.

According to the expert, the next step is for authorities to determine if the remains are over 75 years old. If so, they'll have to contact the state’s archaeologist, who will reach out to the relevant Native American tribes to begin the identification process.

No update on the case of Thursday (February 15).

"I do hope they can find out who," Dodds said. "This person has a story."