Authorities in Indiana have arrested two people after receiving information that a man admitted to killing and burning his children in a fire pit. Police discovered bone pieces in a backyard that they believe was the pair’s former apartment. It is unclear whether the bone fragments are connected to the two toddlers or are human bones.
Police accused 31-year-old Steven Valle and 25-year-old Samantha Sebella, 25, with many charges, including murder, roughly two weeks after a tipster made the accusation, according to WANE 15, FOX 59, and the Kansas City Star.
Jasper County authorities received the information on Sept. 20 from someone who said an acquaintance confessed to killing his two daughters and burning their remains in a backyard fire pit at a home in Wheatfield, Ind., according to a statement from the local sheriff’s office.
Police initiated an inquiry and found the acquaintance and a lady at a hotel in nearby Newton County, according to Jason Wallace, Chief Deputy of the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office, who previously told PEOPLE.
Police believe the pair are the parents of the children who were allegedly killed. The couple denied knowing anything about the tipster’s assertions.
“They just denied it,” he claimed. “They were cooperative but had nothing to share on the topic.”
On September 30, police searched a Wheatfield home where Wallace claims the couple formerly lived. They found bone fragments from three locations on the site, which were subsequently sent for forensic analysis. Authorities are working to ascertain whether the bones are human or animal.
Police detained Valle and Sebella on Thursday, October 3, as part of their investigation, according to WANE 15, FOX 59, and The Kansas City Star.
It was unclear how Valle and Sebella are related to the reports of the slain children, or whether they are the two people police had previously interviewed. Wallace was not immediately available for further comment.
Valle and Sebella have also been charged with neglect of a dependent resulting in death, abuse of a corpse, obstruction of justice, and failure to report a dead body, according to FOX 59, WANE 15, and NBC Chicago, citing court records, Sheriff Patrick Williamson, and the Jasper County Sheriff’s Department.
Online court records did not include plea or counsel information for any suspect.
Anyone with information that they believe may be pertinent to this investigation should contact the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office at (219) 866-7334 and request to speak with an investigator.
