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Bodies Of 2 Girls Found In Same Lauderhill Canal Just Hours Apart

FORT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) – Just hours after finding one girl's body in a Lauderhill canal, police report another has been discovered Tuesday night.

"As of 8:45 p.m. we received another call about a juvenile female in the canal found deceased," said Lt. Mike Santiago with Lauderhill PD.

Santiago said this second girl's body was found in the same canal, just a little further east at NW 59 Way.

While they don't know an exact time frame, police said the bodies have been there for some time.

"This is gone from a missing persons case to a homicide investigation detectives are actively working this case and continuing to scan the area," Santiago said.

The second child's body was spotted by a man who said he was leaving a friend's house when he spotted something in the water.

"I went over there, there was a body in the lake. A little girl. I have never seen anything like that before in my life," he said. "I've got two little girls and this is a tragedy. My heart goes out to the families."

Police said it's still unclear if the two are related in any way. However, they have possibly identified one of them.

"We have possibly identified the female pending next of kin notification. We are going to hold back naming the individual," Santiago said.

WATCH: Lauderhill Police Press Conference On Second Body Found In Canal

 

Police said the first body, which was found near NW 56 Avenue and Oakland Park Boulevard, is that of a Black female, possibly between 10 and 13 years of age.

The girl was found in jean shorts and a gray T-shirt with rainbow lettering that spells the word "dance." She has thick, short hair, and is under 5-feet tall. She also had no shoes on.

Santiago said the second girl appeared to be no more than 12 years old.

"Somebody is going to come home today and their daughter is gone and that hits too close to home," said Katie Levance, who lives in the neighborhood.

Other parents who live nearby said this could have been prevented.

"We need to pay more attention to our children even when we're not home - a Ring doorbell cost $200, a weave costs more than that, the shoes you're wearing cost more than that, a car cost more than that - save yourself and save your children," said one mom.

Lauderhill PD reports "there are no continued threats to the public at large regarding this case."

If you have any information that can help police with this investigation, call Broward Crime Stoppers at (954) 493-TIPS.

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