PHILADELPHIA – In a chilling development in the case of a missing Philadelphia woman, police announced on Saturday the discovery of human remains during their ongoing search for 23-year-old Kada Scott, who vanished from her nursing home job nearly two weeks ago.

At a news conference, Deputy Commissioner John Stanford of the Philadelphia Police Department shared that the remains, found in a wooded area behind an abandoned school, are suspected to belong to Scott. However, he stopped short of a definitive identification, emphasizing that confirmation would come only after examination by the medical examiner.

The discovery came after authorities received an anonymous tip directing them back to an area they had previously searched. According to Stanford, the remains, believed to be those of a woman, were unearthed from a shallow grave and appeared to have been there for several days.

“We are not going to confirm, at this point, that it is Kada Scott because that has to be done by the medical examiner’s office,” Stanford remarked. “There’s still a lot of work to be done.”

Throughout the investigation, police have maintained communication with Scott’s family, keeping them informed of the latest developments. However, Stanford refrained from delving into specific queries, citing the need to protect the integrity of the ongoing investigation.

Police spokeswoman Tanya Little said Sunday that the department did not have any updates. A message left Sunday for the medical examiner’s office wasn’t immediately returned.

The case has prompted questions about the justice system.

Twenty-one-year-old Keon King has been arrested and charged with kidnapping, stalking and other charges in the disappearance of Scott. He had been allowed to go free after being charged in a similar case earlier this year.

In the Scott case, King’s bail has been set at $2.5 million. He remains in custody and has a preliminary hearing next month. His defense attorney did not return a message seeking comment.