Bones found on Hutchinson Island beach believed to be Native American remains

STUART, Fla. - When Joe Bonomo and his buddies surveyed the surf off Hutchinson Island, they discovered more than good waves.

“One of my buddies bends down and picks up something, and he goes, ‘This looks like a pot.’ And we all, at the same time, were like, ‘That’s a skull,’” said Bonomo.

And that wasn’t all. Bonomo says they discovered two sets of bones, washing on the rocks. The county says Hurricane Sandy uncovered them. Bonomo called the state historical office. The Martin County Sheriff’s Office came out.

“It was quite a buzz around here for a while,” said Bonomo. “They had the cops and the CSI guys here to determine it was archaeological. ”

The county thinks it may be the same Native American bones that washed up after a 2004 hurricane.

“It’s so important for us to maintain dignity and respect at this site and rebury it,” said Gabriella Ferraro, communications and outreach coordinator for the Martin County Board of County Commissioners.

Deputies are handing the bones over to state historians. They want to keep the location secret, to protect it.