JAMAICA, Queens — An active death investigation is underway in the Jamaica section of Queens after police discovered a burned body in a cluttered vacant lot on Thursday afternoon.
Officers from the NYPD responded to the scene near 139th Street and Hillside Avenue shortly after 4:20 p.m. following a 911 call reporting an unconscious person at the location. Upon arrival, responding units discovered the victim lying within the debris-filled lot. Emergency Medical Services arrived shortly thereafter, but the individual was pronounced dead at the scene.
Sources close to the investigation confirmed that the body appeared charred, suggesting it had been subjected to fire. Due to the condition of the remains, police have not yet been able to identify the victim, nor have they established a timeline for how long the body may have remained in the lot before it was discovered.
The site, described by authorities as a cluttered area, remains cordoned off with crime scene tape as detectives and forensics teams canvas the ground for evidence. The investigation is in its early stages, and officials have not yet released any information regarding a potential motive or the circumstances surrounding the death.
The New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner has been called in to take custody of the remains. An autopsy is scheduled to be performed, which will provide the official cause and manner of death. That information is expected to be a critical component in determining whether investigators are treating this as a homicide or a different type of incident.
As of Thursday evening, no arrests had been made in connection with the discovery. Police are urging anyone with information about suspicious activity in the area surrounding 139th Street and Hillside Avenue to come forward. Investigators are also looking to review nearby security footage that might show anyone entering or leaving the lot in the days leading up to the discovery.
The discovery has unsettled the local community in Jamaica, an area that has seen its share of recent public safety concerns. For now, the neighborhood remains a focal point for investigators as they attempt to piece together the identity of the victim and the events that led to this grim find.
Authorities are asking anyone with relevant information to contact the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS. All calls will remain confidential.
This is a developing story. Stay with Eyewitness News and abc7NY for further updates as more information becomes available from the medical examiner and law enforcement officials.
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