Remains found in Pennsylvania in 1973 identified as missing York County 14-year-old

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LEBANON, Pa. – The remains of a girl found under bushes and a plastic tarp in a Pennsylvania woods 51 years ago were identified by state police Thursday as 14-year-old Ruth Elizabeth Brenneman of York County, who was last seen leaving for school in the fall of 1973.

State police said genetic genealogy helped determine the identity of a decomposed body discovered Oct. 10, 1973, by two game wardens near Fort Indiantown Gap. The cause and manner of death of Ruthie, as she was called, have not been determined. said the police.

“The fact that we identified her today does not end our investigation,” Trooper Ian Keck said at a news conference Thursday. “Understanding her daily life and who she interacted with is a key part of this investigation.”

Her body was exhumed from the cemetery in 2016, leading to her identification last month, state police said. Her home in York County is about 50 miles from where her remains were found.

In a statement, her family members thanked investigators, saying their work “has brought some resolution to issues that have dragged on for the past 51 years.”