Jewelry Found With Bones Described

Ventura County coroner’s officials hope that jewelry found with the skeletal remains of a woman in Los Padres National Forest will help determine her identity.

Authorities said Wednesday that they discovered a silver-colored necklace with three braided strands among the remains. The necklace is about 18 inches long, Medical Examiner James Baroni said.

Earlier in the week, officials said a silver-colored metal ring, shaped into the word “JESUS,” was discovered among the bones buried in a shallow grave off California 33 about 15 miles north of Rose Valley Road near Lockwood Valley.

Officials hope that someone will recognize the jewelry and call the coroner’s office at 641-4400 or the Sheriff’s Department at 654-2674.

Authorities say the woman was between the ages of 25 and 55 and between 5-foot-2 and 5-foot-7 tall.

Oxnard resident Kay Saillant, a Times staff writer, discovered a portion of the remains Sunday while playing in the snow with her daughter and her daughter’s friend.

One leg bone was exposed and another was partially buried under a nearby bush. There was also a plastic tablecloth in the soil.

Authorities said the rest of the skeleton was buried just beneath the surface.

Officials estimate that the remains had been in the area for several weeks.