John Doe approx.3yo Oct.8,2005 DuPage County IL.
Police seeking help in identifying body By Bill Bird STAFF WRITER DuPage County sheriff's investigators turned to the public Monday for help in identifying the decomposed body of a toddler found over the weekend in unincorporated Naperville Township. Sheriff John E. Zaruba's office released few new details concerning the lurid discovery of the remains near Ferry Road and Meadow Drive. That is in the McIntosh Ferry Road Farms neighborhood, an unincorporated area near Naperville's far northwest side. DuPage County State's Attorney Joe Birkett said Monday the child was likely murdered. "We believe, at this juncture, this child was probably murdered, although we don't have any firm findings, but based on the way the child was inhumanely discarded," Birkett said. "His body was concealed inside of a bag or some packaging." The body, believed to be that of a 3-year-old boy, was found at 4 p.m. Saturday by a man walking his dog along a creek bed, investigators said. A sheriff's department's statement indicated detectives believe the boy was about 3 years old at the time of his death. He stood roughly 38½ inches tall, weighed between 25 and 30 pounds and had short black hair, according to the statement. He was clad in a collarless, three-button navy blue shirt, navy blue pants and a nylon/cotton-blend shell with a white liner, the statement indicated. The clothing carried the Faded Glory brand and was in size 2T, according to the statement. Additionally, an autopsy of the remains performed Sunday at DuPage County Coroner Peter A. Siekmann's office apparently failed to establish a cause of death. A message posted Monday on the coroner's Internet Web site indicated the "autopsy results are ... pending further investigation." Investigators have enlisted the services of a forensic artist specializing in facial reconstruction to help identify the boy. Facial reconstruction projects can take a week or longer to complete, the sheriff's statement indicated. Residents of McIntosh Ferry Road Farms told police over the weekend they had seen no extraordinarily suspicious activity there in the past few months, although some said the creek bed has been increasingly used for dumping. Meadow Drive runs south of Ferry Road and about midway between Route 59 on the east and the Elgin Joliet & Eastern Railway Co. tracks to the west. The area where the remains were found is southwest of the Illinois Department of Corrections' Illinois Youth Center and northwest of the Odyssey Fun World amusement center. Meadow Lane also was widened recently from two lanes to four, bringing more traffic through the neighborhood, they said. The Chicago Sun-Times contributed to this report. Call for help Those who know of a missing child fitting the boy's description or who believe they have other information concerning the case are asked to call the DuPage County sheriff's office of criminal investigations, at (630) 407-2323, or its communications center, at (630) 407-2400. Suburban Chicago News

Do you know this boy? Artist sketches child whose body was found near Reagan Tollway By Angela Rozas Tribune staff reporter Published October 29, 2005 He was a little boy with a slight, toothy smile; large, almost pointed ears; and a halo of dark, wiry hair. His features may be East Asian or American Indian, possibly with some Hispanic heritage. His decomposed body was found in a blue laundry bag on the side of a road in unincorporated DuPage County three weeks ago. Investigators Friday released a forensic artist's sketch of the 3- to 4-year-old boy in hopes it would help identify him. "This sketch tells us a whole lot more," said Sheriff John Zaruba. "It tells us that this innocent child who once smiled and laughed has a face. And if he has a face, he must have a name, a family and maybe a neighbor or a friend. "For now, we are his family, and this family is searching for answers." Investigators have spent thousands of hours working on the case. The sheriff's department has made arrangements for a funeral, but they hope the boy's family will make contact before it is time to bury him. The child, found Oct. 8 near Ferry and Meadow Roads, is estimated to have been about 38 1/2-inches tall and 25 to 30 pounds. He was wearing a Navy blue collarless shirt with three buttons, size 2-T, and Navy blue pants with a nylon cotton-blend shell and a white liner, size 4-T. The brand was Faded Glory, sold exclusively at Wal-Mart. An anthropologist who looked at the remains provided the approximation of the child's ethnicity. Police don't know yet how he died or how long ago, and they have not ruled out the possibility he died naturally or in an accident. They're still waiting for some forensic reports. For the sketch, investigators used a forensic artist because the body was decomposed. The artist, Lois Gibson, helped the sheriff's office's staff forensic artist compose the sketch, but she would not talk specifically about the case. In general, she said an artist examines either the body or photographs of the body and uses existing bone structure and the anthropologist's report to approximate what the person would have looked like. The body was found near Naperville not far from the Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway, leading investigators to believe the child could have been dropped off by someone passing through. Jerry Nance, lead investigator at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, said none of the children reported missing in Illinois seems to fit this child's profile. His office has narrowed down a "manageable" list of missing children from around the rest of the country that may fit the profile and turned it over to the sheriff's office, he said. But, for now, authorities are pinning their hopes on the possibility that someone will see the sketch and recognize the child. "Please help us," Zaruba said. "This little boy can no longer speak for himself. He needs someone out there to do it for him." Anyone with information is asked to call 800-669-7109. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-0510290176oct29,1,343511.story?coll=chi-news-hed&ctrack=1&cset=true

Unidentified Child JOHN DUPAGE COUNTY DOE DOB: Found: Oct 8, 2005 Height: Unknown Eyes: Race: Age Now: 3-4 Sex: Male Weight: Unknown Hair: Found: WARRENVILLE IL United States On October 8,2005 a body of a young boy was found in Dupage County, IL. The image is a facial reconstruction of how he may have appeared in life, but certain details were filled in by the artist to the complete the image and should not be used in determining his possible identity. He is a white or white hispanic male, aged between 3-4 years old. He weighed about 25-30 pounds. He has dark hair. He was dressed in in a dark blue button down shirt, dark blue "BDU" trousers, both with the brand name "Faded Glory". He was wearing white socks. ANYONE HAVING INFORMATION SHOULD CONTACT National Center for Missing & Exploited Children 1-800-843-5678 (1-800-THE-LOST) or contact NCMEC Cold Case Review Unit at 1-877-446-2632, ext. 6235 or 6295 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dupage County Sheriff's Office 1-630-407-2400 http://www.missingkids.com/missingkids/servlet/PubCaseSearchServlet?act=viewPoster&caseNum=U10142&orgPrefix=NCMU&searchLang=en_US

Police turn to schools for clues in boy's death Published November 18, 2005 DUPAGE COUNTY -- DuPage County sheriff's police have distributed fliers to area schools seeking information about the young boy whose remains were discovered last month in a field near Naperville. An e-mail sent Thursday to parents of students in Indian Prairie School District 204, which encompasses homes in parts of Naperville and Aurora, contains a link to a flier that reads "Do you know this boy?" in large red letters. The flier also contains an artist's rendering of what the boy probably looked like and urges people to call the Sheriff's Department at 800-669-7109 if they have information about the case. A Sheriff's Department spokeswoman said the fliers were distributed to schools throughout DuPage County. The boy's remains were discovered Oct. 8 near Ferry and Meadow Roads not far from Illinois Highway 59 and the Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway. The boy appeared to be about 3 years old. A scour of missing children files in Illinois found no matches, leading authorities to conclude he was not reported missing in the state. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/north/chi-0511180266nov18,1,1990151.story?coll=chi-newslocalnorth-hed&ctrack=1&cset=true

Police track down leads on dead boy $5,000 is offered to solve mystery By Angela Rozas Tribune staff reporter Published December 8, 2005 Authorities have found three Wal-Mart stores nationwide--including one in northern Illinois--where someone bought both a shirt and pants like the ones on the body of a little boy discovered in DuPage County two months ago. The decomposed body, estimated to be that of a 3- to 5-year-old, was found Oct. 8 in a laundry bag near Interstate Highway 88 in unincorporated Naperville Township. The boy's identity or where he came from is not known, but his clothing, a navy blue shirt and pants, were sold exclusively at Wal-Mart. The retail chain helped officials cull computer records of their transactions until they found where both items had been purchased together, said Detective Division Cmdr. Mark Edwalds of the DuPage County sheriff's office. He would not disclose the other two locations, but said detectives are working with store officials at all three to see if they can track who bought the items. If the articles were bought with cash, or if surveillance systems in the stores were not working at the time, it might be difficult for detectives to figure out who bought them, he said. And because the clothing is not sold as a set, someone could have bought the items in two different transactions, even though the boy was wearing them together. "But we needed a starting point, and this is one," Edwalds said. The sheriff's office also released a new composite of how the boy might have looked. It was done by experts at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which has been working with the county since the body was found. Authorities also are offering a reward--$5,000--for information leading to the boy's identity. The composite, which followed earlier sketches, was made by constructing a clay model of the child's features based on his skull, said Jerry Nance, lead investigator at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Then, a digital photograph of the model was scanned into a computer where experts could elaborate on the picture with thousands of photographs of real children, he said. The composite is then run through filters to keep it from looking too much like a photograph so people won't overlook children who don't look exactly like the composite, he said. "It's part art and part science," Nance said. "Right now I think the best bet might be to get someone to recognize this composite." Investigators said they also are waiting on forensic test results for more information. The boy was believed to be about 38 1/2 inches tall, weighing between 25 and 30 pounds. His heritage may be East Asian or American Indian. His body was found wearing a navy blue collarless shirt with three buttons, size 2T, and navy blue pants with a nylon cotton blend shell with a white liner, size 4T. It was found near Ferry Road and Meadow Drive in unincorporated Naperville Township. Police are asking anyone with information to call the toll-free tip line at 800-669-7109. arozas@tribune.com http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/west/chi-0512080241dec08,1,4729944.story?coll=chi-newslocalwest-hed&ctrack=1&cset=true

New Picture of John Doe:

Mystery boy's cause of death uncertain No verdict reached by DuPage inquest Published January 11, 2006 By Angela Rozas Tribune staff reporter As police continue to search for leads into the identity of a little boy whose remains were found last year in unincorporated DuPage County, a coroner's jury Tuesday ruled that the boy's cause of death could not be determined. Investigators from the county sheriff's office testified that they could find no obvious signs of trauma on the boy, whose body was badly decomposed when it was found in a canvas bag Oct. 8 by a man walking his dog in unincorporated Naperville Township. Initial toxicology reports turned up trace amounts of carbon monoxide, ethanol and methanol in the body, but all three chemicals could have been present because of the decomposition, said Detective Kevin Farley, a forensic investigator with the DuPage County sheriff's office. The Bolingbrook man who found the body had just dropped off his children at a nearby recreation center when he decided to walk his dog to pass time, Detective John Gradus testified. The dog led the man to a blue canvas bag, which had an odor, he said. When the man opened the bag, he saw the child's body and notified police, he said. Investigators have been searching for months to determine the identity of the boy. Experts from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children are assisting, as is the retailer Wal-Mart, which sold the type of clothing found on the boy. Authorities have released three sketches of what the boy may have looked like. Still, no leads have determined the boy's identity, said Cmdr. Mark Edwalds of the DuPage County sheriff's office. The search has been "extremely frustrating," Edwalds said. "Our best hope is for a friend or family member who knows who this little boy is to come forward." Edwalds said the department is considering burying the boy if no one comes forward to identify him. The boy was believed to have been about 3 to 5 years old, 38 1/2 inches tall, weighing between 25 and 30 pounds. His heritage may have been East Asian or Native American. His body was found wearing a navy blue collarless shirt with three buttons, size 2T, and navy blue pants with a nylon-cotton blend shell with a white liner, size 4T. It was found near Ferry Road and Meadow Drive in unincorporated Naperville Township. Police are asking anyone with information to call the toll-free tip line at 800-669-7109. An $11,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the identity of the boy. http://www.chicagotribune.com/

Police Recreate Face Of Unidentified Toddler Newest Rendering Released To Spark Renewed Interest, Tips (CBS) WARRENVILLE, Ill. Authorities released today an updated interpretation of what an unidentified toddler, whose decomposed remains were found October 2005 in a laundry bag in unincorporated Naperville Township, might have looked like. Police investigating the case say they hope the newest look of the boy’s face – the third in a series of renderings - will spark renewed interest in the case, helping to lead to possible tips. “Once again we are appealing to the public for their help in this case,” said Sheriff John E. Zaruba. “We are still waiting for that one person to call us with the information that will lead us to the identity of this little boy. … I am hoping that this photo is the one that clicks in someone’s mind and helps us give this little boy his name.” The child, whose body was found in a blue canvas laundry bag near Ferry Road and Meadow Drive, was between three and five years old, about 38 ½ inches tall and between 25 and 30 pounds, according to the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office. When the body was found, the boy was wearing a navy blue collarless shirt with three buttons, size 2T, and navy blue pants with a nylon cotton blend shell with a white liner, size 4T. Wal-Mart exclusively sells the brand name of his clothing, Faded Glory. Experts at Louisiana State University’s FACES laboratory used clay to make a three dimensional reconstruction of the child’s head using his skull. While recreating the face, investigators employed a measured, three-step approach using the least invasive methods, which would help preserve the integrity of any forensic evidence. At first, a forensic artist was asked to do a drawing of the boy. At the same time, experts at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children were working on a computer generated photo, which was released a few months later. Then, detectives asked FACES to create the latest rendering of the boys face - a computer-assisted colorized photo of the clay model. An anthropologist who detectives consulted with believes the boy is East Asian/American Indian derived from Hispanic or Tribal Indian heritage. There is still an $11,000 reward available to anyone who provides information that leads to the boy’s identity. Anyone with information is encouraged to call 1-800-669-7109. http://cbs2chicago.com/topstories/local_story_047125331.html please click link above to see new renderings

JOHN DUPAGE COUNTY DOE

Boy Found In Laundry Bag May Be From Colorado Body Discovered In Illinois In October Still Not Identified UPDATED: February 21, 2006 DENVER -- Investigators are asking for the public's help to identify a young boy who may have been murdered. His body was found in a blue canvas laundry bag on Oct. 8, 2005. His body was discovered in the Chicago-area but detectives there believe he may be from as far away as Colorado. Computer-enhanced images show what the boy likely looked like. The new rendering, the third, was created by Louisiana State University's FACES laboratory, which used clay to make a three-dimensional representation of the boy's face, using his skull. A forensics artist did the first drawing and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children did another. The child, possibly East Asian or American Indian, Hispanic or Caucasian, was believed to be between 3 and 5 years old and weighed about 25-30 pounds. He was dressed dark blue button down shirt, and dark blue pants, both with the brand name "Faded Glory," which is a brand exclusively sold at Wal-Mart. Authorities in Illinois sent out the same images of the boy to police departments all over the country hoping to spark new interest in the case. "Once again we are appealing to the public for their help in this case. We are still waiting for that one person to call us with the information that will lead us to the identity of this little boy," Sheriff John E. Zaruba said. "I am hoping that this photo is the one that clicks in someone's mind and helps us give this little boy his name." An $11,000 reward is available to anyone who provides information that leads to the identity of the child. If you have any information about the boy's identity, you're urged to call Denver police or call the Dupage Sheriff's Office at (800) 669-7109. http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/7305633/detail.html