New Haven police admit to slow ID of dead man

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) - New Haven police have apologized for failing to more quickly identify a body pulled from a river in May after the family provided information that could have led to a speedier identification.

According to The Hartford Courant, police spokesman David Hartman said the department acknowledges that the identification of 18-year-old Mutalib "Bobby" Bello should have been timelier and has apologized to the family.

The New Haven Independent reported that Bello's family provided authorities with information about tattoos on Bello's body and were outraged that his body was in a morgue for two months.

Bello's body was pulled from the West River on May 18. Police announced the identification on July 17.

He was last seen May 10 and family members say they were rebuffed when trying to file a missing person's report on May 13.