Scarsdale family awaits ID on skull

The discovery of a human skull in an Indianapolis river has a Scarsdale family whose college-student daughter disappeared 13 months ago anxiously awaiting efforts to identify the remains.

The family of Lauren Spierer posted a message on its Facebook page Saturday with a link to a news report about the discovery of the skull.

"In the days ahead, a family will have answers they have been desperately seeking," the message reads. "Will it be ours? When will you end this nightmare for our family?"

Spierer, a 20-year-old Indiana University student, was last seen on June 3, 2011, when she left a friend's apartment in Bloomington, Ind. Despite widespread media coverage and repeated appeals from her family, no one has reported seeing her, and leads provided to police haven't panned out.

The skull was found Monday by a fisherman in shallow waters 50 miles from Bloomington, near the east bank of the White River, Indianapolis Metro Police said. Alfie Ballew, deputy coroner for Marion County, told WXIN that the skull "has been submerged for some time, at least more than a year."

The water where the skull was found is just a few feet deep. If not for summer drought conditions, authorities said, the skull may have remained submerged.

The teeth are intact, Ballew said, so dental records and DNA may be used to identify the person. So far, authorities do not know the race or gender of the person. Lab results could take weeks.