Virginia university plans memorial site for human bones found discarded in well years ago

A Virginia university has approved funding for a memorial for dozens of people, most of African descent, whose bodies were taken from their graves for use by medical students and then dumped in a forgotten well.

Virginia Commonwealth University officials voted to spend $3.6 million for the memorial and burial site.

Construction is expected to start next year.

Workers in 1994 uncovered a brick-lined well containing human bones during construction of the a building on the VCU medical center campus.

Researchers believe the remains were dumped in the well between the 1840s and 1860s.

DNA study results released in February identified at least 43 distinct adults and three juveniles.