Police: Bodies of Two Female Minors Discovered in Canal in South Florida

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Initially, police say they did not suspect the first child was the victim of a homicide, as she had no signs of trauma. However, the discovery of the second victim made authorities re-think things, reports say.
Initially, police say they did not suspect the first child was the victim of a homicide, as she had no signs of trauma. However, the discovery of the second victim made authorities re-think things, reports say. File photo: YES Market Media, Shutterstock.com, licensed.

LAUDERHILL, FL – According to reports, police in South Florida have discovered the bodies of two female minors in a local canal, with the grisly discovery being declared as a homicide by officials.

The first victim – who authorities say was aged between 10 and 13 years old – was found Tuesday afternoon in a section of a canal located in Lauderhill, just outside of the Habitat II Condominiums complex. The child was reportedly wearing a gray shirt with the word “dance” in rainbow-colored letters and jean shorts; her hair was styled in twists and she did not have shoes.

The body of another child was then discovered later that evening at approximately 9 p.m. after police say they received a 911 call from someone who had seen a body floating in the canal in the vicinity of where the first victim was found. This victim was reportedly wearing pajama bottoms with flowers on them and a tan shirt.

Initially, police say they did not suspect the first child was the victim of a homicide, as she had no signs of trauma. However, the discovery of the second victim made authorities re-think things, reports say.

As of Tuesday night, officials said that no parents had contacted police to report any missing children, with Lauderhill police Lt. Michael Santiago telling reporters during a press conference that “It’s a very complicated case with a lot of moving parts” and that they are tracking down all leads.

Santiago also noted that police believe they may have identified the first girl, but still need to contact her family to have her identify confirmed. Police have also been canvassing the surrounding neighborhood, knocking on doors in an attempt to identify the second child, who they suspect lived in the condominium complex.

According to the Florida SunSentinel, witness accounts say that the first victim had been seen with another child her approximate age on Monday, and that later that evening a woman had been reportedly seen swimming in the canal and reading a Bible in the vicinity of where the first victim was discovered.

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