Galveston police released new details Tuesday in the mysterious case of a little boy whose body was found on a beach last October. But they still don’t know who he is or how he died.
The boy they call “Little Jacob” was found in the 700 block of Seawall.
An autopsy showed he died around October 17 or 18 and had been in the water from 12 to 48 hours before he was found.
The autopsy confirmed he was already dead when he was placed in the water, but the medical examiner couldn’t determine his cause of death.
“Autopsy results indicate that prior to his death, Little Jacob showed signs of neglect and injuries consistent with abuse. However, none of those injuries appears to have been fatal,” said Capt. Joshua Schirard with the Galveston Police Department.
Schirard said they’ve spent countless hours trying to identify the boy, who is 3 to 4 years old. They searched local, state and national databases on missing children and submitted his DNA to several labs.
They investigated hundreds of tips and launched a statewide billboard campaign with a sketch of Little Jacob.
Still, no one came forward.
In an unusual move Tuesday, police released an actual photo of Little Jacob taken on the day his body was found. They asked the media to share it with hopes that someone will recognize him.
“We’re not releasing this photo lightly. It’s really being done, at this point, as a last option,” Schirard said. “We’ve exhausted all other things we could do to get this child identified.”
The FBI is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to Little Jacob’s identity. Crime Stoppers is offering a $5,000 reward.
“Someone has seen him, that child deserves to be identified and be properly laid to rest, but for this to happen, input from the public is absolutely crucial," Schirard said.
If you know anything, please call 1-800-CALL-FBI or 1-800-225-5324.