TEXARKANA, Texas- A search was called off Monday night for what was believed to be the remains of a 5-week-old boy allegedly buried at The Oaks at Rose Hill apartment complex at West 13th and Fannin streets.
"We've not found anything yet and, quite honestly, hope this story was all made up and didn't really happen. But, if it did, we are doing everything possible to do right by this little boy," TTPD Spokesman Shawn said Monday afternoon.
Vaughn said the search is over unless additional information comes forward.
Crime Scene Investigators spent much of Monday digging for any remains.
A woman is being investigated by police in Temple, Texas, in connection with the death of two other children, according to Texarkana, Texas, police.
The two children in Temple were allegedly starved by their mother, Vaughn said. The mother faces charges in connection with the Temple case.
"In the course of that investigation, there came information that there may have been a child that died here and was buried behind the apartments here," Vaughn said early Monday afternoon.
Information led police to believe if an infant was buried near the apartment complex, it could have been done in late 2013.
Police used an excavator Monday to try and unearth as much ground as possibe. They called off the search shortly before 6 p.m. Monday.
About a month ago, cadaver dogs were taken to Texarkana's The Oaks at Rose Hill apartment complex and hit on some areas but it was not enough to be sure if a body was there, Vaughn said.
Police then used a ground-penetrating sonar, which also hit upon some of the same spots the cadaver dogs had.
The sonar was provided by a company called EquuSearch.
Police began digging about 1 p.m. Monday and began using an excavator about 4 p.m. Monday.
Residents of the apartment complex watched the activity Monday, many expressing sadness over the investigation.
Beverly Shurbet, who lives at another Texas-side apartment, came to the scene with a friend after hearing about what was going on. She was visibly upset as she talked to others at the scene.
"I'm just so mad," she said. "My husband and I have been trying adopt. People who want to have children can't always because of their finances or because they don't have enough room," she said. " They (the parents) could have given him away. They could have put him in foster care," Shurbet said.
Texarkana police have travelled to Temple to pursue the investigation.
"We've gone down and interviewed the mother there as well as the the father who apparently is no longer with the mother, so we are trying to piece together to find out what exactly, if anything, happened here in Texarkana," Vaughn said early Monday afternoon.