Groveland, CA…On Saturday December 24th, the Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office received information about the discovery of possible human remains in a mineshaft outside of the Groveland area on public lands. Patrol Units responded to the scene and consulted with the Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue team, at which point the determination was made that the mineshaft was unsafe to enter. The California Office of Emergency Services was contacted and this morning a specialized team out of Southern California arrived to assist in recovering the remains out of the mineshaft.

The Sheriff’s Office Investigators and Coroner Officials are on scene assisting with the recovery. We have not been able to make any determinations at this time in regards to the identity of the remains, gender or how long the remains have been in the mineshaft. This is all of the information we will be releasing at this time to protect the integrity of investigation and until the remains can be identified and next of kin can be contacted.