Decomposing Body Found in Manhattan Beach Park

City workers uncovered a decomposing body while moving a dirt pile at a popular Manhattan Beach park Thursday, according to the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department.

The workers noticed a "suspiciously wrapped object" atop a heap of landscaping manure in the parking lot of Polliwog Park (map), the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said in a news release.

Lt. Dave Coleman, with the department's Homicide Bureau, said the bag was noticed earlier in the day and "was there for sometime" before police were called about 3:30 p.m.

Footage from the scene showed what authorities said is a body wrapped in various materials, including what appeared to be a sheet and cardboard. A baseball diamond was seen on the opposite side of a fence, feet away from the body.

The body was identified Friday morning as that of a young, Hispanic male, according to Lt. Larry Dietz of the Los Angeles County coroner.

"The definition of young, I don't know," Dietz said, adding that an autopsy would probably not be performed until Sunday at the earliest.

Additional details were not available Friday morning.

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Anyone with information about the discovery is asked to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500, or Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477).

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