Police say body found near open space in Arvada - KGWN –Cheyenne, WY– Scottsbluff, NE News,Weather, Sports

Police say body found near open space in Arvada

DENVER (AP) - A body has been found near an open space area in the Denver suburb of Arvada.

Westminster police spokesman Trevor Materasso said Wednesday that so far, police haven't connected it to the disappearance of 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway, whose mother last saw her leaving for school Friday. Her father lives in Independence, Mo.

Materasso didn't release the gender or approximate age of the body.

The Pattridge Park open space area south of the Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge is dotted with abandoned coal mine shafts, and the area once housed miners for the Leyden Coal Co. The area is favored by road bikers and model airplane flyers on weekends.

It is about seven miles southwest of Jessica's home and several miles south of where Jessica's backpack was found in Superior.