Remains of ‘Little Miss Nobody’ ID’d as New Mexico girl, 4, abducted in 1960 and found in Arizona desert

A 4-year-old lady whose burned stays have been found in a distant Arizona desert greater than six a long time in the past was recognized by authorities Tuesday after solely being often called “Little Miss No one,” regardless of makes an attempt by investigators to assemble a reputation. 

The Yavapai County Sheriff’s Workplace recognized the stays as that of Sharon Lee Gallegos, who was reported kidnaped on July 21, 1960, due to superior DNA know-how. 

Gallegos was taking part in along with her cousins in an alley behind her grandmother’s Alamogordo, New Mexico dwelling when she was taken, the Sheriff’s Workplace in Prescott, Arizona stated. She was kidnapped by a pair who had been stalking her, in keeping with the Nationwide Heart for Lacking & Exploited Youngsters.

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Rey Chavez, Gallegos’ nephew, stated the disappearance of his aunt left a mark on his household, as they turned very protecting of their kids. The household described her as a “feisty” and “happy-go-lucky” lady, he stated.

“Thanks for what you’ve got performed for us, thanks for maintaining my aunt secure and by no means forgetting her,” he informed investigators throughout a Tuesday information convention. “It is nonetheless sinking in.”

The lady’s dad and mom have since died, Chavez stated. 

Witnesses stated a person, lady and a freckle-faced little one in a darkish inexperienced early-Nineteen Fifties sedan drove as much as Gallegos and the opposite kids as they have been taking part in, the Sheriff’s Workplace stated.   

The girl provided Gallegos sweet and garments, authorities stated. When Gallegos refused the girl’s choices of sweet and garments, she was pulled by the arm into the automotive, officers stated.  

Ten days later, a Las Vegas college instructor trying to find rocks in Sand Wash Creek within the Yavapai desert, greater than 500 miles west, found the kid’s burned and decomposed stays. Authorities decided she had been deceased for 1 to 2 weeks previous to her discovery, the NCMEC stated. 

A picture of Sharon Gallegos.
(Yavapai County Sheriff’s Workplace)

On the time, investigators estimated the kid’s age to be 7 years previous and later between 3 and 6 years previous. A explanation for loss of life was tough to find out as a result of there have been no indicators of trauma, the Sheriff’s Workplace stated, but it surely was dominated a murder as a result of suspicious nature of the case. 

Alamogordo Police Division and the FBI looked for Gallegos however have been unable to seek out her or the suspects. 

After the case gained native notoriety, the neighborhood in Prescott raised cash to offer the kid with a correct funeral service in 1960 and dubbed her “Little Miss No one.”

The grave marker learn: “Little Miss No one. Blessed are the Pure in Coronary heart … St. Matthew 5:8.” A brand new one with Gallegos’ identify changed the previous marker. 

The case remained chilly till 2015, when the stays have been exhumed to get DNA samples. On the time, the know-how was not superior sufficient to definitively hyperlink Gallegos to “Little Miss No one,” authorities stated. 

The Sheriff’s Workplace ultimately partnered with Texas-based DNA agency, Othram, which focuses on figuring out stays for legislation enforcement. Each teams raised a complete of $4,000 on DNASolves to pay for testing.

A grave marker recognized the plot as that of Sharon Gallegos. 
(Yavapai County Sheriff’s Workplace)

DNA samples have been obtained from Gallegos’ family members and an identification was made in February. Whereas Gallegos has been recognized, authorities nonetheless asking for tricks to discover out who took her and the way she died.

Fox Information has reached out to Othram.