MONUMENT, Colo. -- An autopsy on the remains of a child's body found in the crawl space of an empty home in Monument revealed it was that of a 7- to 10-year-old girl of unknown race.

The El Paso County Coroner's Office said Monday the remains were so badly decomposed that the girl's cause of death and identity could not be determined. It's also unclear how long the remains had been in the crawl space before they were discovered.

The vacant home at 764 Century Place was undergoing renovation when construction workers made the grisly discovery on Friday.

Neighbors told 7NEWS over the weekend that they remember a family with a little girl living in the house about a year and half ago. They said the 6-year-old girl disappeared one day and the family told them she had moved back to New Jersey to live with her aunt.

Another neighbor said others had called police before about possible abuse at the home.

"I was even there when police were called. At one point, we talked to (the parents) and they said she was fine," said neighbor Kristin McCollam. "I have four kids so to me it's heartbreaking that anyone could even do that to a child."

Monument police Chief Jacob Shirk said he can't say yet whether police visited the home in the past, but a source confirmed to 7NEWS that Human Service department officials had contacted that particular family before.

Gabrielle Bearsheart's daughter used to play with the girl who lived in the house. She said she too thinks the body belongs to the girl her daughter played with, but she's hoping it's not.

"I want to know and I want them caught," Bearsheart said.

She said she's having a hard time explaining to her daughter what is happening.

"Right now she's asking questions and I try to come up with an excuse, 'Well, let's kind of wait until we find out more details,'" Bearsheart said.

Monument police confirmed they have not received any missing children reports.

If this death is ruled a homicide it would be the first in the town’s history.