Human remains have been found by police searching part of the Welland Canal in Port Weller for a St. Catharines teenager who was last seen seven months ago.

Niagara Regional Police found the skeletal remains Friday morning, on the second day of searching the partially drained canal between locks one and two — looking for Quintin Bingley, 18, who was last seen at his nearby home at about 11 p.m., May 25.

At this time, however, police describe the remains as "unidentifiable."

Quintin's grandmother Sandra Bingley said the uncertainty is difficult for family members and friends to bear, after months of searching — including hiring a private investigator to help locate him.

"Right now we're upset," she said, adding the family has yet to find the closure they sought.

"Now we're all in a state of trauma, not knowing is it really him. It could be someone else. It could be closure for somebody else."

Although Sandra suspects it will take DNA tests to positively identify the remains, she also hopes other evidence may yet be uncovered such as clothing that the family may recognize.

Police say detectives will be working with the coroner's office on the investigation, as well.

As of Friday afternoon, police had yet to recover the remains from the thick mud of the canal bed, exposed by the receding canal water near the west bank of the canal, just south of the Lakeshore Road bridge.

Sandra suspects piles set into the canal bed near the remains may have made them more difficult to see during the search.

She and her husband Don Bingley, Quintin's grandfather, were in the area as police were searching the area on Thursday, walking along the canal bank with binoculars for a better view.

"We did as much as we could, but I said to him (Don), you can't see underneath those pillars, and I don't think a drone could do it either," she said.

Sandra said she and Don planned to return to the canal bank Friday afternoon, "just so we can get it in our minds exactly where the location is, because we did all of it yesterday but not in under those pillars, obviously because you couldn't get down there."

Police say officers remained at the scene for several hours following the grisly discovery, and could remain in the area overnight as the investigation continues.

Allan.Benner@niagaradailies.com

905-225-1629 | @abenner1

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