A man out walking his dog made a terrible find Monday, March 2, 2026, around 6 p.m. Phillip Donaldson was in the area of Saranac Playground in the South Collinwood neighborhood of Cleveland when his dog pointed out something in a field at East 162nd Street and Midland Avenue, near Ginn Academy. He unzipped a partially buried suitcase and saw what looked like human remains, then called 911 right away.
Police arrived and found a second suitcase buried nearby in the same field. Both suitcases held the bodies of young girls.
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Cleveland Police Chief Dorothy Todd spoke at a press conference on March 3.
“The officers responded out and located a deceased individual that was in a shallow grave inside of a suitcase,”
She said. She described the victims as two unidentified Black juvenile females. One is estimated to be 8½ to 13 years old. The other is believed to be 10½ to 14 years old.
Todd went on to say,
“It’s just a terrible, horrific situation.” The bodies were in tact but decomposed, which means they were there “for some time.”
The deaths are being considered homicides. There are no suspects yet.
The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office now has the bodies and is performing autopsies to find the cause of death. In a homicide case like this, detectives start with basic steps. They check local missing persons databases first none match these girls so far. Next, they expand to state and national lists while running DNA tests for identification. The process takes time, especially with decomposition, but every detail from the scene and the suitcases is being examined.
People who live nearby are shaken. Donaldson told reporters he has not slept since the discovery and called it
“completely shocked and disturbed,”
Especially because of the school right there. Neighbor Cheryl Young said,
“It’s shocking. Makes me a little bit afraid.”
Ward 10 Councilman Mike Polensek, chair of the safety committee, said the community must “do better” to protect its children.
The detectives intend to scan the security cameras in the neighborhood, check the houses, and track down the suitcases. The autopsy results will hopefully provide more information soon. The Cuyahoga County Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of $5,000 for information leading an arrest and conviction. Anyone with information can contact Cleveland Police Homicide Unit at 216-623-5464 or Crime Stoppers at 216-252-7463. Tips can be anonymous.
