PLATTE COUNTY, Mo. — The Platte County Sheriff's Office is investigating the suspicious deaths of a man and toddler, who were found Sunday in a burned vehicle north of Ridgley, Missouri.
A caller reported seeing human remains inside a burning vehicle shortly after 7 a.m. in the 20000 block of North County Road B.
Deputies said the remains of an adult male and a toddler are believed to be in the vehicle.
“The vehicle is extremely charred, so it’s not easily identifiable just by looking at it,” Platte County Sheriff’s Maj. Erik Holland said. “We’re going to be trying to locate VIN numbers and things like that to confirm the actual vehicle.”
The investigation remains ongoing, but authorities are calling the vehicle fire suspicious.
“We’re still working it as a suspicious death,” Holland said. “We work all deaths fully until we exactly know what the cause of the death is.”
The horrific news spread quickly throughout the small community.
“It’s gut-wrenching,” Ridgely resident Bo Parker said. “I think most of us would agree it’s a safe community and we lock our doors at night and things like that, but it seems like some crazy anomaly to happen this close to home.”
Hearing a toddler was involved hits home for Parker, who has young kids himself.
“It’s awful, and makes you hug your kids tighter at night,” he said.
The Missouri State Fire Marshal's office is assisting the Platte County deputies with the investigation.
Anyone with any information is encouraged to call the Platte County Sheriff's Office at or the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477).
