Missing California mother Whisper Owen and her infant daughter Sandra McCarty were found dead inside a submerged vehicle on Sunday, authorities confirmed.
Owen, 36, and her 8-month-old daughter had been missing since July 15, when she traveled to Fresno for a family visit and a doctor’s appointment. Relatives said she left in the early evening to return home to Sacramento but never arrived.
The bodies were discovered inside Owen’s 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer, which was located submerged in a canal beneath a bridge on Highway 120 near Oakdale.
Search crews used sonar technology to find the vehicle, and a volunteer dive team confirmed the remains of both mother and child were inside.
According to the search team, Owen appeared to have made a desperate attempt to rescue her daughter during the incident. It remains unclear what circumstances led to the SUV becoming trapped beneath the bridge.
