Research Team Uncovers Human Remains at Dozier

A team of anthropological researchers from the University of South Florida began the exhumation process Saturday to uncover bodies at the Dozier School for Boys in Marianna, and have since been working tirelessly throughout the holiday weekend to shed light on what really happened at Dozier so many years ago.

Human remains were found at the school in a shallow hole about 30 yards north of a set of white crosses at the school. Dr. Erin Kimmerle, who has been leading the research team, said the hardware put the grave in the 1940s or later.

"It's a very slow process and we wanted to start out using very traditional archaeological methods to control the context," Dr. Kimmerle told the Tampa Bay Times.

The research team met several road blocks in their attempt to exhume bodies at the school. Over the summer, Secretary of State Ken Detzner said his department didn't have the legal authority to grant the team permission to exhume bodies, but the Florida Cabinet approved the team's permit and their work began Aug. 31.

The reform school housed many boys in its 111-year history from 1900-2011. In recent years, groups of men who attended the school have come forward with tales of abuse, rape and even murder at the school. Stories began to surface about classmates who would disappear at the school, and several men have said they were beaten by guards at the campus.

The digging process is expected to last until Tuesday.