Remains Of 6 Year Old American Girl Found 5 Years After She Went Missing

The remains of a 6-year-old American girl have been found by police.

Schoolgirl Isabel Celis went missing from her bedroom nearly five years ago, sparking a huge search involving thousands of officers.

Police announced yesterday that her remains were discovered about a month ago, but have now been identified by forensic experts

The police chief  however said Isabel's body had been discovered "not by happenstance" but her cause of death is yet to be determined.

Tucson Police Chief Chris Magnus said: 

"Obviously this is not the ending that any of us had hoped for, but this is also not the ending of the case. 

"We are working this case very aggressively as we would with any case involving the death of a child."

Magnus released few details about the recovery of the girl's remains, saying an investigation is ongoing.

He wouldn't say how long the remains may have been in the desert or what caused Isabel's death.

Magnus also didn't reveal whether there are any suspects in the girl's death.

He declined to answer questions about how police were led to her body, only saying that it was not a happenstance.

Isabel was last seen April 20, 2012, when she was 6 years old. Her father reported her missing the next morning after finding she was not in her bedroom.

Police never named any suspects, but they said they found "suspicious circumstances around a possible entry point" in the home.