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Police are investigating reports that a US schoolgirl gave cookies containing her grandmother's ashes to classmates.

She reportedly handed the baked goods to fellow students who were not aware of the contents.

Authorities in California are said to have been alerted by students at the school, but the cookies have yet to be tested.

The Da Vinci High School declined to comment on the story, but said those involved were "remorseful".

The supposedly ash-laden sugar cookies were handed out to nine students, police said, but they were unsure of how many students were involved in distributing them.

One student told local news channel FOX 40 that a girl at the school told classmates that the cookies she had given them two weeks ago had contained her grandmother's ashes.

Da Vinci High School principal Tyler Millsap said there was "no health risk to our campus or to any one of our students" in a letter sent to parents.

Local police lieutenant Paul Doroshov told the CBS 13 channel the case was "a weird one".

"This is so unconventional", Mr Doroshov said, adding that "more research" was required to figure out whether people could be charged and what they could be charged with.

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