St. Charles County Jane Doe

The body of a white girl aged 2 to 3 years was discovered inside a suitcase that had been thrown into Lake Alton in West Alton, Missouri, in St. Charles County on February 1, 1968. The child's remains were recovered by a fisherman who had hooked his line on the suitcase, which had been wrapped in clothesline and weighted with barbells. The girl had long, blond hair; her eye color could not be determined. She was about 2 feet 8 inches tall and weighed between 35 and 40 pounds. Distinctive features noted on the remains were an abnormally large tooth and a scar near one of the eyes. Her body had decomposed somewhat and had been in the water for an estimated "few weeks" after her death. After an image of the child was constructed by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in September 2015, the body was exhumed on September 24, 2015, from an unmarked grave to obtain DNA information. It was later announced that the DNA testing was unsuccessful. She was identified then as a homicide victim, but authorities declined to explain what method was used to kill her. Exhumation would yield a more accurate estimation of the girl's age at the time of her death. If her skull were still in reasonable condition, it could be studied to create a more accurate image.