LINCOLN COUNTY, Oregon — The Oregon State Police is asking for help from the public in identifying the body of a child that was found at the heavily wooded Van Duzer Rest Area on State Highway 18 in Lincoln County on Dec. 10, 2020.
The Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office estimates the deceased’s age to be 6.5 to 10 years old. She was between 3 feet, 10 inches and 4 feet, 6 inches tall and had long hair that is dark brown or black. Her race or ethnic origin has not determined; but DNA analysis is not complete. Officials estimate the child had been dead for at least 30 days before the body was discovered. The above sketch was compiled by the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office.
The manner and cause of the child’s death has not been determined. Any clues as to the child’s identity or the circumstances surrounding her death should be reported to the Oregon State Police at 800-442-0776. To date, more than 150 tips have been received from citizens in the U.S. and Canada.
The Oregon State Police, in partnership with the Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) and numerous state and local agencies across the U.S., are using a variety of means to include or exclude known missing persons who match the general description and/or sketch above.
In an effort to refocus the public’s attention and reduce duplicative tips, authorities have excluded the following reported missing children from the investigation:
- Dulce Alavez, age 6, from Bridgeton, New Jersey;
- Addyson Gibson, age 12, from Portland, Oregon;
- Noelle Johnson, age 7, from Portland, Oregon;
- Niayah Bylenga (AKA Niayah Crawford), age 7, from Pendleton, Washington, or Ritzville, Washington;
- Tarie Price, age 8, from Gretna, Nebraska; and
- Breasia Terrell, age 10, from Davenport, Iowa.
While these six children have been excluded from the Oregon investigation, they are all still missing; the public is encouraged to be vigilant in looking for these children, and all other missing persons reported across the U.S.