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Thursday, 11 Dec 2008, 12:30 AM EST

Child's bones found near Anthony home

Last Edited: Thursday, 11 Dec 2008, 12:20 PM EST
Created: Thursday, 11 Dec 2008, 11:02 AM EST

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ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35, Orlando) -- Sheriff's deputies say the skeletal remains of a small child have been found near the Orlando home of a missing 3-year-old girl.

The Orange County Sheriff's Office is investigating a bag of bones which was discovered near the intersection of South Chickasaw Trail and Suburban Drive.

Early reports indicate that the bones were wrapped in a plastic bag and bound with duct tape.

A spokesperson with the OCSO said detectives followed up on a tip from a utility worker who believed he had discovered the remains of a child. The call was received around 9:30 a.m.

"We pretty much confirmed his discovery," said Jim Solomons with the Orange County Sheriff's Office. Solomons could not confirm the age or gender of the child. "Because of the proximity to the Anthony home, this is a very significant find," added Solomons.

There is nothing that immediately indicates that the bones belong to Caylee Anthony, whose mother Casey Anthony has been charged with her murder.

"Everybody is very eager to connect the dots and bring this to the Anthony investigation and clearly is something we have to look at, if nothing else, because of the proximity to the Anthony home," said Solomons. "It is certainly not the outcome anybody in this agency wanted. We always had hope for a safe recovery of little Cayle Anthony, but the evidence in this case has been overwhelming and suggests otherwise. If it happens to be little Caylee, then it certainly brings the case closer to its conclusion for us."

Casey Anthony insists that she left the girl with a baby sitter in June, but did not report her missing until July.