A young girl and an adult man were found dead about a day apart, but investigators say no connection has been established.
CARSON, Calif. — Los Angeles County sheriff’s homicide detectives are conducting separate investigations into the deaths of a young girl and an adult man whose bodies were found near the Dominguez Channel on consecutive days, authorities said.
Sheriff’s officials said Thursday that investigators have not established a connection between the two deaths. The girl was found Tuesday near the Dominguez Channel Bike Path by Victoria Golf Course, while the man was found Wednesday several miles away near East Sepulveda Boulevard. Both remained unidentified as investigators worked to determine how they died.
The first investigation began shortly after noon Tuesday, when a person at Victoria Golf Course reported seeing what appeared to be a body floating downstream. Deputies and firefighters responded to the area near the 20000 block of South Avalon Boulevard and recovered the body of a girl.
The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner estimated the girl was between 6 and 13 years old. Authorities said she had brown eyes and short dark brown or black hair. Her body was badly decomposed, limiting investigators’ ability to immediately determine additional identifying information. Her cause and manner of death had not been determined.
Sheriff’s Homicide Lt. Daniel Vizcarra said investigators do not know where the girl entered the water. A sheriff’s sketch artist was working on a composite image intended to help identify her, and investigators were checking with nearby law enforcement agencies for missing-person cases that might match her description.
Investigators also were canvassing areas along the channel and reviewing available surveillance video as they tried to trace the girl’s movements before she was found. Authorities had not publicly identified her race as of Thursday, and an autopsy remained pending.
The second investigation began Wednesday morning after deputies responded to a report of an unresponsive person near the channel in the area of East Sepulveda Boulevard. Sheriff’s officials said the man was believed to be Black and in his 50s or 60s. He also had not been publicly identified.
Homicide Lt. Chris Oakley said investigators saw no obvious signs of trauma or foul play on the man. Authorities believed he had been dead for less than 24 hours before he was discovered. A complete autopsy was pending, and officials had not announced a cause or manner of death.
The proximity and timing of the discoveries prompted questions about whether the deaths were related. Sheriff’s officials said separate investigative teams were handling the cases and that the available evidence did not establish a link between them. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Homicide Bureau remained responsible for both investigations.
Carson Mayor Pro Tem Cedric Hicks joined sheriff’s officials at a Thursday briefing and said authorities were working to identify both people and determine the circumstances surrounding their deaths. The investigations remain active, with the identities and causes of death still unresolved.
Author note: Last updated September 4, 2026.