Female remains were found on Saturday in a shallow grave behind a school amid the search for 23-year-old Kada Scott, a Philadelphia woman who has been missing for missing for two weeks, according to local police.
The remains, which have not been identified, are being handled by the medical examiner’s office, police said. They were found behind an abandoned school near Awbury Arboretum in Germantown, an area that was central to a search earlier this week.
The remains were found in a heavily wooded area after police received a “very specific” anonymous tip overnight and officers returned to search the area around 10 a.m. local time on Saturday, First Deputy Commissioner of the Philadelphia Police Department John Stanford told reporters on Saturday evening.
“We have been in communication with her family as to this process and in the fact that we have recovered a human being,” he said.
Kada Scott was last seen by her mother on Oct. 4 when she was leaving for work at a nearby nursing home, police said last week. Keon King, 21, was previously charged with kidnapping “for his involvement” in the disappearance of Scott, authorities said.
Officials in Philadelphia are searching for Kada Scott, a 23 year old woman who has been missing for nearly a week.
Philadelphia Police Department
On the evening of Oct. 4, Scott arrived at work, but left prior to her shift’s completion, Philadelphia police Capt. John Craig said during a press conference last week. It was not clear what time Scott left work, but officials said her shift typically was from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.
Scott was reported missing to police on Oct. 5, with law enforcement saying they had “some concern, more so than usual,” regarding her disappearance due to worrying phone calls she was receiving.
“In the days leading up to her disappearance, Ms. Scott related to her family and friends that an unknown individual or person had been harassing her via phone,” Craig said.
Officials said evidence shows Scott was “in communication with an individual” — they identified as King — and that she appeared to meet with him “very shortly after” she left work on Oct. 4.
“Mr. King is the last person we believe to be in contact with her when she went offline,” Ashley Kozlowski, the Philadelphia assistant district attorney, said during a press conference on Wednesday.
Keon King, 21, was charged in connection to the disappearance of a 23-year-old Kada Scott, who has been missing since Oct. 4, according to the Philadelphia Police Department.
Philadelphia Police Department
Police were previously asking the public’s help in locating the suspect’s vehicle, a 1999 metallic-gold Toyota Camry with a Pennsylvania license plate of MSX-0797, which they believe Scott may have been in. Later that day, police confirmed to ABC News that King’s vehicle was found in an apartment lot.
Officials said they received two tips, the first led them to an elementary school where they recovered evidence “of value,” and the second that led them to the vehicle connected to Scott’s disappearance.
The 23-year-old’s father, Kevin Scott, told ABC News the family remains confident “she’s gonna be with us as soon as possible.”
“It’s been difficult, extremely difficult. We keep faith that she’s OK and she’s going to be with us as soon as possible, she’s going to be found and hopefully no harm is done to her. I’m going to keep that positive vibe going,” Kevin Scott told ABC News.
ABC News’ Tommy Foster and Tesfaye Negussie contributed to this report.