Family Attorney: More Remains That May Belong To Avonte Oquendo Have Been Found
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- While the family of missing autistic teen Avonte Oquendo was still awaiting DNA results from human remains discovered last week, a family attorney confirmed Monday that new remains have been found.
Investigators on Monday were still trying to determine how the body ended up in College Point, Queens, and if foul play was involved.
As 1010 WINS' Al Jones reported, family attorney David Perecman said Monday that so far the clothing found on the remains appears to be a match for Avonte.
"They found a skull – presumptively of the same body – and there are some teeth, so that may provide more information if there are dental records," Perecman said. "I cannot confirm at this point."
Perecman said he is also looking into reports of more school surveillance tapes showing how Avonte left his Long Island City, Queens school in October.
He said he believes there may be audio to go with the video when Avonte left the school, and he hopes it is not being withheld from the family.
"I'd like to think that the Department of Education would not do something that surreptitious," he said.
Avonte's family has filed $25 million notice of claim. Perecman said a formal lawsuit will wait until a DNA match is confirmed.
Remains were first found on Thursday night, including "a size five-and-a-half Nike Jordan sneakers and size 16 jeans which are both what Avonte was wearing on the day which he left," Perecman said last week.
The findings of human remains and clothing were troubling and difficult for Avonte's family to hear about, CBS 2's Janelle Burrell reported.
The missing teen's father Daniel rushed from Florida to New York on Friday after hearing the news.
Perecman has said that Avonte's mother Vanessa Fontaine refused to believe that it is her son until the test results come back.
Avonte, 14, was described as severely autistic and unable to speak. He was last seen on Oct. 4, running out of the school.
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