Body found in burning car in Germantown, Montgomery County police say

GERMANTOWN, Md. - A body was discovered in a burning car in Montgomery County early Wednesday morning, according to authorities.

The Montgomery County Police Department said crews responded to a call for a brush fire in a wooded area in the 13700 block of Wisteria Drive in Germantown at about 4:20 a.m.

Officials said firefighters found a car on fire when they arrived at the scene and extinguished the blaze.

Once the fire was under control, authorities said a body was discovered inside the vehicle. Detectives said they were investigating the death. The identity of the body has not been released at this time.

"At this point, it is a death investigation," said Montgomery County Police Sgt. Rebecca Innocenti. "The decedent was transported to the medical examiner in Baltimore where the autopsy will be performed."

A source familiar with the investigation said the body was so badly burned that they cannot confirm if it is male or female along with any other identifying markers.

The area where the body was found is located across the street from Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School.

Anyone with information that could aid detectives in their investigation was urged to call the Montgomery County Police Department's Major Crimes Division at 240-773-5070.