(KCEN) -- The city of Marlin is investigating after the bones of more than 12 dogs have been found in a lot owned by the city.
The lot is adjacent to the city park and is roped off. It was used to dispose of landscaping materials, like wood chips from downed trees. At some point, people began throwing trash onto the property.
The mayor of Marlin, Elizabeth Nelson, received a tip about the bones on Saturday. She went to the area with a police officer yesterday and made the discovery.
Some of the bones are badly decomposed and may have been there for several months. The older bones are clean, maybe due to wild animals.
Garbage bags contained some of the bones, some of the bones were dumped without garbage bags and one dog's bones were found wrapped in a quilt.
Investigators can't tell how the dogs died, but they are continuing to look into the incident.
The area is reported to smell bad, which has attracted a lot of flies.
The lot is not an area people would go to if they are at the park. City employees haven't had a reason to go to the lot in some time either.
Nelson said she didn't know if the dogs had died at different homes and then were dumped there, but did say it looks as if it has been going on for a while.
The bones are expected to be removed soon.
