Grave robbers have stolen the body of a young girl buried nearly 50 years ago.
A casket containing the body of Paula Ream was stolen from Riverview Cemetery in Lancaster, Pa. sometime between late Thursday evening and early Friday morning, police say.
Ream was laid to rest in August 1962 when she was 9-years-old after succumbing to complications related to Cerebral Palsy.
"[It's] disturbing, bizarre, eerie, strange…it's definitely the most unusual call that I've ever responded to," Lancaster Police Sgt. Tim Frey said.
Ream's parents were later buried next to her in the Babyland section of the cemetery. Officials say their graves weren't touched.
"God knows what possesses people like that," Ream's sister Fay Hamm told LancasterOnline.com.
It's unclear why the robbers chose to dig up Ream's 57-year-old body, but the cemetery's superintendent says it may be cult related.
"I think it was some kinda cult," Jeff Miller said. "Once and a while you'll see bags with little dog's heads cut off, chickens, goats, cats."
While police are baffled by the crime, they've received a lot of tips -- some which have turned into promising leads, officials say.
