PARMA, Ohio -- Two teenagers walking Tuesday afternoon behind a Parma Toys "R" Us found human skeletal remains, police said.

The teens called police dispatch about 4:15 p.m., Parma Lt. Kevin Riley said at a press conference. The remains were found about 200 yards behind the shopping center off of Day Drive in tall grass.

The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner will work with Parma investigators to determine the identity of the badly decomposed remains. Police could not provide any information Tuesday evening about the race, gender or age of the skeletal remains.

Investigators will look into local missing persons cases and will broaden their search if necessary, Riley said.

The two teens who found the skeleton said they often walk through the area to look for cardinals.

"We saw this mattress and a whole bunch of teddy bears," Mariah Welling-Tessmer, 16, said. Mariah said she and her friend, Chris "CJ" Pogozelski, 17, kept walking and found the bones.

"We saw the bones and I was like, 'That's a femur!' and then walking forward more, we saw the skull," Chris said. He said he initially thought the bones were fake, but soon realized after picking one up that they were indeed real.

The pair said there has been a box spring along their usual path before, but the bones were near two mattresses that were not there during their last trip. Piles of clothing were also found near the mattress, they said.

Parma police investigators will be on scene behind the shopping center for several more hours, Riley said.