Authorities in Indiana have arrested two people after tips alleging a man had confessed to killing and burning his childrenin a fire pit led police to find bone fragments in a backyard that police believe was the former residence of the pair. It is not clear, though, if the bone fragments are connected to the two children or are even human bones.
Police charged 31-year-old Steven Valle and 25-year-old Samantha Sebella, 25, with several offenses including murder nearly two weeks after a tipster made the allegation, WANE 15, FOX 59 and the Kansas City Star report.
Jasper County authorities received the tip on Sept. 20 from a person claiming an acquaintance had confessed to killing his two children and burning their bodies in a backyard fire pit of a home in Wheatfield, Ind., the local sheriff’s office previously said in a statement.
Subsequently, police launched an investigation and located the acquaintance and a woman at a hotel in nearby Newton County, Jason Wallace, Chief Deputy of the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office previously told PEOPLE.
Police believe the pair are the parents of the children reportedly killed. The pair denied having any knowledge about the allegations made by the tipster.
“They just denied it,” Wallace said “They were cooperative but had nothing to share on the topic.”
Bone Fragments Found in Backyard in Wheatfield, Ind.
CBS Chicago/YouTube
On Sept. 30, police conducted a search at a Wheatfield residence where Wallace says the pair previously lived. They recovered bone fragments from three spots on the property which were then sent for forensic analysis. Authorities are working to determine whether they’re human or animal bones.
On Thursday, Oct. 3, police arrested Valle and Sebella as part of their investigation, per WANE 15, FOX 59 and The Kansas City Star.
It wasn’t immediately clear how Valle and Sebella are linked to the reports of the deceased children, or whether they’re the two people police previously interviewed. Wallace was not immediately available for further clarification.
Bone fragments found in backyard of home in Wheatfield, Indiananone
Valle and Sebella are also charged with neglect of a dependent causing death, abuse of a corpse, obstruction of justice and failure to report a dead body, FOX 59, WANE 15 and NBC Chicago reported, citing court records, Sheriff Patrick Williamson and the Jasper County Sheriff’s Department, respectively.
Plea and attorney information were not available for either suspect in online court records.
