Police still searching for identity of girl's remains found in Smyrna, Delaware field
SMYRNA, Delaware -- Thursday marks the five month anniversary of the discovery of a child's remains in an open area in Smyrna, Delaware.
Detectives said they believe the remains belonged to a girl between two and five years old, who was either white or Hispanic with slightly wavy brown hair.
Police released facial reconstruction images of a young girl but no one has yet to identify her.
Investigators found the girl's remains on September 13, 2019, near softball fields in Smyrna after a dog retrieved a bone. When the bone was discovered to be human, police came to the scene and found the uncovered and unburied remains.
Police re-released the pictures with the hopes members of the public would take a second look and someone will possibly recognize the child and come forward with information.
At first, investigators thought the remains might have belonged to five-year-old Dulce Maria Alavez, who disappeared from a Bridgeton, New Jersey park on September 16; however, they later determined this was not the case.
Investigators believe that the child had been deceased for several weeks or longer by the time she was discovered on September 13. Forensic investigations have also revealed that the child had some type of chronic illness or illnesses.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and the Delaware Division of Forensic Science partnered with police in the investigation to create the facial reconstruction photos.
Police ask anyone who thinks the girl looks familiar to contact them. They are seeking tips to help them figure out what happened to the little girl.
"We ask that the public take a close look at these images and report any and all possible information on this case to the Smyrna Police Department," said Smyrna Police Public Information Officer Corporal Brian Donner.
Tipsters can remain anonymous.
