San Diego, USA| The San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office is seeking public assistance in identifying several unidentified children and young adults whose remains were discovered across different locations over the past five decades. Investigators are using updated forensic sketches and facial reconstructions to generate new leads in these long-standing cases.
The initiative involves collaboration with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs), Rady Children’s Hospital and forensic artists. The effort aims to reconstruct the possible appearances of unidentified individuals and encourage members of the public to recognise them.
One of the primary cases involves an unidentified young man whose body was discovered in Sweetwater Reservoir on January 2, 1999. Investigators estimate that he was between 17 and 22 years old and had been in the water for approximately one to two days.
A distinctive tattoo on his left shoulder could prove important in establishing his identity. The tattoo featured the word WICCA, a bird in flight, an ankh symbol and a pentagram. He was also wearing a gold-coloured hoop earring, a white polo shirt and black Levi’s jeans. The Medical Examiner’s Office has released a new forensic sketch and plaster facial reconstruction to support the identification effort.
Four Additional Unidentified Cases
The public appeal also highlights four other unidentified juveniles:
- 1978 Case: A girl estimated to be 14–18 years old was discovered near Proctor Valley Road on February 14, 1978.
- 1979 Case: A boy believed to be 12–16 years old was found along the Imperial Beach shoreline on July 22, 1979.
- 1995 Case: The remains of a Hispanic teenager, estimated to be 15–16 years old, were discovered near the Tijuana River on March 16, 1995.
- 2004 Case: The remains of a toddler boy, estimated to be 2–4 years old, were discovered inside a travel bag in a wooded area of Rancho Bernardo on May 4, 2004.
According to the Medical Examiner’s Office, forensic facial reconstructions provide visual representations of how these individuals may have appeared before their deaths. The initiative builds on earlier collaborations that included public-facing facial reconstruction activities during San Diego Comic-Con International.
Public Appeal for Identification
Medical Examiner Investigator Jennifer Wright has urged anyone possessing relevant information about these cases to contact the office and refer to the corresponding case number.
Members of the public with potential information can contact the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office at (858) 694-2895.