The skeletal remains of a human body were found in an apparent homeless encampment in Griffith Park on Wednesday, according to LAPD.
A hiker on an unofficial, game trail wandered into an area where someone appeared to have been living and found the long-dead body, Los Angeles Police Department Officer Ryan Watterson said.
The hiker reported the finding to park rangers at about 11:30 a.m.
Police gave the address of the discovery as 4700 block of Crystal Springs Drive (map), near the Harding Municipal Golf Course on one of the main routes through the park.
But aerial video showed investigators and crime scene tape farther south, in a wooded area off the roadway between the merry-go-round and baseball field.
A homeless camp appeared to have been hidden among the trees, video from Sky5 showed.
It was too early to tell if any foul play was involved, Watterson said, adding that the body had not been moved.
“We don’t know who it is,” Watterson said. “We can’t even tell if it’s a male or a female.”
The area was littered with debris, clothing, blankets and water bottles, the officer said.
KTLA’s Jennifer Thang contributed to this article.