Facial reconstructions released in hopes of identifying girl found dead in Delaware

The girl, likely between 2 and 5 years old, had been dead for several weeks.

November 19, 2019, 8:46 AM

Police released facial reconstruction images in the hopes of identifying a little girl who had been dead for weeks by the time she was found in Delaware, authorities said.

The remains of the little girl, who was likely between 2 and 5 years old, were discovered near the Little Lass fields in Smyrna on Sept. 13, said Smyrna police. She had been dead for several weeks or possibly longer.

On Monday, police released facial reconstruction images created by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that depict what the girl may have looked like.

PHOTO: This undated facial reconstruction image released by the Smyrna Police Department in Smyrna, Del., shows what a young girl who police are trying to identify may have looked like when she was alive.
This undated facial reconstruction image released by the Smyrna Police Department in Smyrna, Del., shows what a young girl who police are trying to identify may have looked like when she was alive. Smyrna police are working with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the Delaware Division of Forensic Science to try to identify the remains of a girl, between the ages of 2 and 5, who was found dead in September 2019 near the Little Lass softball fields in Smyrna.
Smyrna Police/National Center for Missing and Exploited Children via AP

The little girl was Caucasian or Hispanic with slightly wavy brown hair, said police. An exam of her remains suggests she suffered from chronic illnesses, police added.

While she appears to have resembled 5-year-old Dulce Maria Alavez, who vanished from a New Jersey playground, police said Dulce went missing on Sept. 16 -- three days after the Smyrna girl's remains were found.

"We are still seeking tips from the public about the child’s identity and any possible suspect information," police said in a statement Monday. "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, Crime Stoppers, and/or The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children."