Detectives launch separate homicide probes after recovering a young girl and an adult man seven miles apart.
CARSON, CA — Authorities said Thursday that no connection exists between the separate deaths of a young girl and an adult man whose bodies were retrieved from the Dominguez Channel in Carson over two consecutive days this week.
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department homicide detectives announced the update during a news conference at the Carson station following back-to-back discoveries in the waterway. A patron at a nearby golf course spotted the child floating downstream at midday Tuesday, while a refinery worker located the adult man’s body roughly seven miles southeast early Wednesday morning. Investigators confirmed both cases are proceeding as separate death investigations with no shared evidence or indicators linking the victims.
First responders arrived at the 20000 block of South Avalon Boulevard near the Victoria Golf Course at 12:05 p.m. Tuesday after a golfer reported seeing a person floating in the canal. Emergency workers pronounced the child dead at the scene. The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner later confirmed the victim was a young girl estimated to be between 6 and 13 years old, standing 4 feet, 4 inches to 4 feet, 8 inches tall, and weighing 60 to 85 pounds, with dark brown or black hair and brown eyes. Authorities noted the girl’s body showed signs of severe decomposition, making her initial identification difficult, and it remains unknown where she first entered the water.
At approximately 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, deputies received a second report after an industrial refinery employee spotted an unresponsive person in the channel along the 2100 block of East Sepulveda Boulevard. Homicide detectives found an unidentified man estimated to be in his 50s or 60s along the bank. Medical examiners pronounced the man dead at the site and determined he likely died within 24 hours of discovery. Investigators reported no visible signs of traumatic physical injuries or foul play on his body, and noted no established unhoused encampment activity in the immediate vicinity.
The dual discoveries drew heightened concern across the South Bay community, prompting city leaders and law enforcement to reassure residents during Thursday’s joint briefing. Homicide Bureau detective Lt. Daniel Vizcarra stated directly that no connection has been established between the two incidents. Carson Station commander Capt. Alise Norman confirmed that separate teams of investigators are handling each death, running parallel enquiries without overlapping evidence. Carson Mayor Pro-Tem Cedric Hicks emphasized local officials’ commitment to community safety, stating at the news conference that civic authorities are very concerned about the citizens of Carson while investigations continue.
The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner has not yet determined official causes or manners of death for either person as toxicology and forensic examinations remain underway. To help identify the young girl, a forensic sketch artist with the sheriff’s department is actively creating a portrait rendering of her appearance when alive. Meanwhile, detectives are cross-referencing local missing persons databases, auditing regional surveillance footage, and conducting neighborhood canvasses along the channel’s drainage pathways to trace potential movement prior to entry into the drainage canal.
Deputies from the Carson station set up temporary shielding along the Sepulveda Boulevard bank Wednesday morning while forensic teams gathered evidence from the concrete drainage channel. Community members and cyclists frequently use the Dominguez Channel Bike Path running parallel to the Avalon Boulevard stretch where the child was located. Detective Lt. Chris Oakley noted that while the adult male showed no obvious indicators of violence, full autopsy results will provide definitive answers regarding both fatalities. Authorities urge anyone with relevant information, video footage, or missing relative reports to contact the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau or submit anonymous tips to Crime Stoppers.
Where things stand now, medical examiners are working to complete official identification records and autopsy reports for both individuals. Detectives expect to release the forensic artist’s sketch of the young girl once finished to assist in nationwide missing person identification efforts.
Author note: Last updated September 3, 2026.