Texas police took the unusual step of releasing a grisly photo of a dead toddler, whose remains washed up on a beach three months ago, in the hope that someone will identify him.
Desperate for leads in the death of the 3- or 4-year-old boy dubbed “Little Jacob” — who was found on a Galveston beach on Oct. 20 — cops made the decision on Tuesday, the Dallas Morning News reported.
“We’re not releasing this photo lightly,” said police Capt. Joshua Schirard at a press conference. “It’s really being done, at this point, as a last option.”
A sketch of a young boy with rosy cheeks and sparkling eyes was originally released in October and plastered on billboards from Texas to Kentucky, but didn’t prompt any leads.
The heart-wrenching photo authorities released this week shows the dead child, looking gaunt and with matted hair.
A medical report indicated that the boy weighed only 26 to 30 pounds, about half the healthy weight for his age.
Investigators said his body, which was found unclothed, showed signs he had been neglected and abused.
The cause of Little Jacob’s death is still unknown, but police believe his body was dumped after he died and that he was in the waters for up to two days before washing ashore.
Cops have searched local and national databases for missing-persons reports, looked for DNA and fingerprint records and received hundreds of tips.
“Someone out there knows this child,” Schirard said. “Someone has seen him. This child deserves to be properly laid to rest. For this to happen input from the public is absolutely crucial.”
The FBI has offered a $10,000 reward for information about the boy or his parents.