Officials seek help identifying remains of "Baby Grace"
© 2007 The Associated Press
GALVESTON, Texas — Authorities are seeking nationwide help identifying the remains of a young girl discovered inside a storage box that washed ashore this week on Galveston Bay.
"This is not an unidentified body," Sheriff's Maj. Ray Tuttoilmondo said Thursday at a news conference where more details were released about the girl. "She is a person. She is missed by someone."
She was believed to be between 2 to 5 years old, had long blonde hair, was just under 3 feet tall and weighed 25-30 pounds, Tuttoilmondo said. She was dressed in a matching pink pullover top and broom skirt, white tennis shoes and Disney brand panties.
Investigators have been referring to the girl as Baby Grace.
"The name Grace means given," Tuttoilmondo said. "She's given us, in her death, emotions we don't get to experience very often. She is a person. She is missed by someone. It's absolutely critical that we hear from them."
A fisherman called police after finding the container late Monday on an island along the Intracoastal Waterway. A preliminary autopsy found that the girl had at least one skull fracture. She appeared to have been dead for at least two weeks, but the exact time and cause of death have not been determined.
Authorities are combing through national missing children reports for any cases matching the girl's description. A search of local missing-person reports did not turn up any matches. Tuttoilmondo said anyone with information about the child should contact the sheriff's office.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/5265636.html
© 2007 The Associated Press
GALVESTON, Texas — Authorities are seeking nationwide help identifying the remains of a young girl discovered inside a storage box that washed ashore this week on Galveston Bay.
"This is not an unidentified body," Sheriff's Maj. Ray Tuttoilmondo said Thursday at a news conference where more details were released about the girl. "She is a person. She is missed by someone."
She was believed to be between 2 to 5 years old, had long blonde hair, was just under 3 feet tall and weighed 25-30 pounds, Tuttoilmondo said. She was dressed in a matching pink pullover top and broom skirt, white tennis shoes and Disney brand panties.
Investigators have been referring to the girl as Baby Grace.
"The name Grace means given," Tuttoilmondo said. "She's given us, in her death, emotions we don't get to experience very often. She is a person. She is missed by someone. It's absolutely critical that we hear from them."
A fisherman called police after finding the container late Monday on an island along the Intracoastal Waterway. A preliminary autopsy found that the girl had at least one skull fracture. She appeared to have been dead for at least two weeks, but the exact time and cause of death have not been determined.
Authorities are combing through national missing children reports for any cases matching the girl's description. A search of local missing-person reports did not turn up any matches. Tuttoilmondo said anyone with information about the child should contact the sheriff's office.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/5265636.html
