Authorities have released new images showing what an unidentified young girl may have looked like before her death, hoping someone will recognize her and help investigators determine who she was.
The girl’s remains were discovered floating in the Dominguez Channel near the Victoria Golf Course in Carson on September 1, 2026. She is believed to have been between 8 and 11 years old, but her identity has not yet been established.
A facial reconstruction released by authorities shows an approximation of the child’s appearance in life. Images also show the clothing she was wearing when her body was recovered.
Investigators say the girl was between 4 feet 4 inches and 4 feet 8 inches tall and weighed approximately 60 to 85 pounds. She had coarse, thick, slightly wavy dark brown or black hair measuring about 1 to 2 inches long. Her race has not yet been determined.
She was found wearing black pinstriped pants marked as youth size 7, a size 8 “Jurassic World” pajama top and a red Christmas sweater from Shein in size 10. Authorities have said it is not known how long she had been dead before her body was discovered.
The discovery was made after a golfer near the Victoria Golf Course noticed the body in the water. The condition of the remains made the identification process more difficult, prompting authorities to release the reconstruction and detailed clothing information in hopes of generating new leads.
The case has been listed by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children as “Jane Carson Doe 2026.” The organization is asking anyone who may recognize the girl or have information that could help identify her to contact investigators. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and the county Medical Examiner’s Office are handling the investigation.
The Medical Examiner’s Office is responsible for investigating deaths under its jurisdiction and working to establish both the identity of unidentified remains and the circumstances surrounding a death. The department says identification is not confirmed until accepted forensic standards have been met.
The discovery of the girl’s remains came one day before another body was recovered from the Dominguez Channel. On September 2, deputies found a man believed to be between 50 and 60 years old in another section of the channel. Authorities previously said there were no obvious signs of trauma or foul play in that case.
Investigators have not established a connection between the two deaths.
For now, the focus remains on identifying the young girl. The newly released reconstruction, along with the detailed description of her clothing and physical characteristics, gives investigators and the public additional information that could help put a name to her.
Anyone with information that could help identify the child is urged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department at 213-229-1700 or the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office at 323-343-0512.
