Murdered Child Remains Unidentified 19 Years After Washing Ashore in New York City
The boy was found at Rockaway Beach in February 2005 and is now known as John Valentine Hope.
On February 5, 2005, Cecilia Davis went to Rockaway Beach in Queens, New York, to walk her dog and look for seashells with a friend. Just before 5 PM, the 47-year-old nurse was exploring near Beach 110th Street when she noticed a cute Disney-themed sheet tangled in seaweed and shells. When she looked closer, she realized a child’s body was wrapped inside.
Forensic specialists determined the body was that of a white or Hispanic male between 3 and 5 years old. He was 3ft tall, 28 lbs, and had a children’s size 5 foot. The little boy was headless, and although he had not been decapitated, his head had been eaten by fish or separated due to decomposition.
The child’s death was classified as a homicide. He had several broken bones in his torso, but an exact cause of death has not been established. He had been dead for several weeks or months.
Investigators scoured through missing person reports from all over the United States and handed out over 15,000 flyers. No one came forward to claim the boy. Sgt. Frank Libretto, head of the 100th Precinct detective squad, has a theory,
“That’s why we think the child may have…
