CLEVELAND (AP) — Authorities in Cleveland were working Wednesday to identify two young half-sisters whose bodies were found buried inside suitcases on the city's east side.

The bodies were recovered on Monday in the city's Collinwood neighborhood after a tip from a dog walker, according to police. One of the girls is believed to be between 8 and 13 years old, and the other between 10 and 14 years old.

Cleveland Police Chief Dorothy Todd said at a Tuesday news conference that it was not clear how the girls, who were both Black, died, but that their bodies had been there for some time.

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“We are hoping to find answers,” she said. “This is a terrible, tragic situation.”

The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office used preliminary DNA relationship testing to confirm that the two girls were half-sisters, according to a statement. The office said further information would be released as it became available.

The circumstances didn't appear to match any active missing persons cases in the area, Todd said.

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(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 05, 2026 02:20 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).