Two Young Girls Found Dead in Suitcases in Cleveland

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The bodies of two young Black girls, believed to be between 8 and 14 years old, were found stuffed inside suitcases and buried in shallow graves on the east side of Cleveland, police said. The girls have not been identified and authorities do not have any leads or suspects in the case.

Why it matters

The discovery of the two young girls' bodies in suitcases buried in a Cleveland neighborhood has shocked the community and raised urgent questions about their identities, how they died, and who is responsible for this tragic crime.

The details

Cleveland Police Chief Dorothy Todd said the first body was found by a dog walker on Monday evening near East 162nd Street and Midland Avenue. While searching the area, detectives found a second shallow grave with a suitcase containing another body. Todd said the girls were in an area that does not get a lot of foot traffic, and authorities do not have a clear timeline for how long the bodies had been there.

• The first body was found by a dog walker around 6 p.m. on Monday, March 3, 2026.
• The second body was found in a nearby shallow grave during the subsequent police search.

What they’re saying

What’s next

Authorities are asking anyone with information about the identities of the two young girls or the circumstances surrounding their deaths to contact the Cleveland Police Department's Homicide unit or Crime Stoppers.