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Man Finds Box Of Human Ashes From NJ On Massachusetts Beach

NEW BEDFORD, Mass. (CBSNewYork/AP) — A Massachusetts man trying to enjoy a book at the beach got quite the surprise when he found a box containing human ashes.

George Silva told The Standard-Times he found the box wedged in the rocks in New Bedford on Tuesday. Inside was a bag that had the name and number of a crematorium in Elizabeth, New Jersey.

He called, and was told the ashes were from a cremation performed three years ago. The ashes were remarkably well-preserved considering how much time had passed, the Times reported.

Silva was told someone must have accidentally dropped the box while trying to dump the ashes of a loved one into the ocean.

He saw the discovery as an opportunity to be a good Samaritan. He brought the ashes to a local cemetery on Thursday, and they will be returned to New Jersey.

(TM and © Copyright 2016 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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