Share this @internewscast.com

PHOENIX (AP) — “Little Miss Nobody” finally has a name.

The Yavapai County Sheriff’s office said Tuesday the previously unidentified little girl whose burned remains were found over 60 years ago in the Arizona desert was 4-year-old Sharon Lee Gallegos of New Mexico.

The child’s remains were found on July 31, 1960, partially buried in a wash in Congress, Arizona. Her age at various times over the years was estimated to be between 6 and 8 years old, then later at between 3 and 6 years old.

Residents in the nearby central-north Arizona community of Prescott raised money for a funeral and florists, and a mortuary donated its services for the little girl they had dubbed “Little Miss Nobody.”

Her original grave marker read: “Little Miss Nobody. Blessed are the Pure in Heart … St. Matthew 5:8.”

News reports at the time said a local radio announcer and his wife stood in for the girl’s parents during the funeral at Prescott’s Congregational Church.

“I guess I just couldn’t stand to see a little child buried in boot hill,” KYCA announcer Dave Paladin was quoted as saying in an Aug. 11, 1960 article by The Associated Press.

Sharon Lee Gallegos was reportedly abducted from the yard of her grandmother’s home in Alamogordo, New Mexico, on July 21, 1960, a little over a week before her body was found. Authorities say they do not know who took and killed the child, and the case is still under investigation.

The Alamogordo Police Department and the FBI searched for the little girl but were unable to find her or the suspects believed to be in a dark green 1951 or 1952 Plymouth.

Authorities’ initial thoughts about the age of the victim found in the desert, the clothing she was wearing and a footprint at the scene caused them to rule out the possibility that the dead girl was the missing 4-year-old from New Mexico.

The Yavapai County case went cold until 2015, when the remains were exhumed to get DNA samples. The National Center for Exploited and Missing Children, the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System and others worked on the case.

The sheriff’s office and Texas DNA company Othram raised $4,000 earlier this year to pay for specialized testing that finally identified the girl.

Yavapai County Sheriff David Rhodes said he was glad investigators “did not let go until the unfortunate moniker of ‘Little Miss Nobody’ could be removed from the headstone that sits in a cemetery here in Prescott.”

The girl’s parents have since died, but her nephew Ray Chavez was at the news conference to thank authorities for not giving up their quest to identify his aunt. There was no other mention of any other surviving relatives.

Chavez said his aunt had always been described to him as a happy-go-lucky girl.

“We were amazed how the people rallied around her,” Chavez said. “Thank you for keeping my aunt safe and never forgetting her.”

Source: huffpost

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Victorian Father Allegedly Threatens Airport Explosion, Causes Uproar in Courtroom

A Victorian father accused of threatening to blow up Perth Airport could…

Passenger Faces Charges for Assaulting Crew and Fellow Traveler on Australian Flight

A man will face court in Perth today after allegedly kicking at…

Double Murder Suspect Shouts for Mother During Court Appearance

Courtroom footage of Reginald Louis Jackson yelling at the judge during his…

Flag Protection Controversy: Katter United Party Pushes for Jail Time in Australia

Queenslanders who burn the Australian flag in public could face jail time…

Queensland Carjacking Case: Court Upholds Conviction of Teen in Tragic Grandmother’s Death

A teenager who killed a Queensland grandmother and triggered landmark youth justice…

Tragedy Strikes: Cyclist Fatally Attacked by Aggressive Driver During Bike Unveiling

Left: Rory Horowitz (Bernalillo County Sheriff”s Office). Right: Ellyssa Salazar (Bernalillo County…

Child Discovered on Roadway as Babysitter’s Troubling History Surfaces, Says District Attorney

Inset: Arissa Ward (Dauphin County Prison). Background: The Pennsylvania street where a…

Tragic Apartment Fire Claims Lives of Three Children; Investigation Reveals Hazardous Living Conditions

Background: A photo of the fire damage to Joshua Kannin”s apartment in…

Authorities Issue Warnings Against Four ‘Finfluencers’ on TikTok for Financial Advice

Australia’s financial regulatory body is intensifying its scrutiny of social media “finfluencers”…

Repeat Offender Faces Arrest After Allegedly Threatening Pregnant Woman with Firearm

In Gainesville, Florida, a serious incident unfolded yesterday involving a man identified…

Video Allegedly Captures Man’s Disturbing Reaction to Teen’s Tragic Death

Inset left: Enrique Aguilar (Harris County Jail). Inset right: Mariah Alatorre (Obituary).…

Chef Accused of Fatally Assaulting Wife in Hotel Room with Multiple Objects, Authorities Report

Inset: Jeffrey C. MacDonald (WWLP). Background: The UMass Amherst Hotel, where MacDonald…