BOSTON -- In the midst of their grief, Molly Bish's parents thanked search crews Tuesday and lent their support to other missing children, one day after officials identified the remains of their daughter.

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"Molly's come home. We are extremely saddened. The depth of our sadness no family should have to endure. No one wants to bring a child home bone-by-bone," Molly's mother, Magi, said.

DNA testing done on bones from a left arm and right shin found in the wooded search area, along with dental records that were compared to a tooth found, led to the identification of the missing 16-year-old, officials said.

"In coming here I thought today about when Molly was born, and John cut the cord. Now, we are at another stage and we need to cut the cord and let her go," Magi Bish said.

Last week, as investigators continued their search, Molly's parents urged lawmakers on Beacon Hill to support a bill that would require convicted felons to submit DNA samples.

"We need to think about comprehensive plans like the Amber Alert, sex registries and tight prosecutions. Molly is a light and she will continue to be a light for other missing children and the families that miss them," Magi Bish said.

The Bishes went to the Warren Fire Department to show their gratitude toward the dozens of people who spent time combing through the wooded area for clues in their daughter's disappearance.

"We had an opportunity to meet with the search teams and tell them how grateful we were. We want the police to know how great their role is. Families expect them to search for your children and bring them home. I don't think anyone expected the state police to find Molly but they did. They brought her home," Molly's father, John, said.

Officials have pinpointed the murder scene and returned to the site Tuesday to search for other evidence. All of the bones and teeth were recovered within a 1,000-foot circumference.

"What's happened in the last couple days has actually energized this investigation," District Attorney John Conte said. "We will be out there for a few more days seeking more remains. We want to make sure that we recover everything that we need to recover."

Conte said the discovery of the bones prompted investigators to look again at some suspects interviewed after Bish's disappearance.

"We are going to re-interview some people. We are going back to our original suspects," Conte said.

The location where officials found the swimsuit and Molly's remains leads officials to believe that the suspect may be a local resident.

"The person who placed (Molly) at peril will be found by the Massachusetts State Police. I am confident of that. We will now turn to helping them in any way we can to pursue this individual. We would ask this person to turn himself in now," John Bish said.

Molly vanished three years ago after her mother dropped her off at her lifeguard job at Comins Pond in Warren. When swimmers arrived at the beach, only her lunch, water bottle, radio and sandals were there. The investigation was jump-started after a hunter found a bathing suit about 5 miles from the pond that matched the one Molly was wearing on June 27, 2000, the day she disappeared.