Identified! AL - Opelika, 'Juvenile Jane Doe', BlkFem, UP9834, 4-7, in woods, abused, Jan'12 *reward* - Amore Joveah Wiggins

[imstilla.grandma]

Opelika investigators continue to work the case, and still believe she lived in the east Alabama area and was murdered by someone familiar with the Opelika area. Baby Jane Doe is remembered daily by the OPD.

Forensic testing revealed baby Jane Doe suffered long-term physical abuse at the hands of her killer, leaving her left eye blind and scarred until she was ultimately murdered between 2010 and 2012 when she was three to seven years old.

“She was badly abused and lived a tough life, and there is nothing fair about what she had to go through at all. We just hope we can give her a small amount of justice if we can just find out her name,” said Healey.

Police say any tip, no matter how small, may lead to Baby Jane’s real name and justice. There is a $20,000 Reward in the case. If you have any information on the case, you are urged to call the Opelika Police Department’s Secret Witness Hotline at (334) 745-8665. You may remain anonymous.
Justice evades Opelika’s Baby Jane Doe; detectives determined to name her | WRBL

 

[alliebama]

I was in touch with Sgt White as I covered the case myself and every so often he would send me updates, and they are still actively working on further composites, as well as ruling out potential ID's of other children.

I genuinely believe that she was not known about, and was perhaps hidden away. i.e. neighbours might not have known she existed.

Hello, I'm new here, but I actually lived near where her body was found around the time it was found. I attended Auburn University and now am in medical school. I had gone through all of these posts long ago, and forgive me if this has already been said - has Fetal Alcohol Syndrome been discussed? In my opinion, the eye defect could have been something she was born with, and potentially worsened with abuse. Microphthalmia or a detached retina, maybe both? When I had this thought, I reached out to my friend who is a social worker in Alabama and asked what the hospital procedure is on babies born with fetal alcohol syndrome. Of course, the baby would have to have been 1) born in a hospital and 2) born with obvious defects in order to have been placed under social services watch.

I had also pulled up the old property records for anyone who had rented in that mobile home park, and it seems that the older woman whose son found the skull had been there for a long time, as well as one other family who had been there for YEARS. Seems that they would be the most likely to have seen Baby Jane if she was even living there.

 

[Alleykins]

OT: Neighbors can have selective memory. We had a neighbor who would tell our visitors where we were if they stopped by when we weren't home. He was very attuned to our comings & goings. But the two times we had burglaries, one in broad day light, when his snoopy behavior would have come in handy, he claimed he didn't see a thing. Go figure. Some neighbors are nosy, but don't want to get involved with the police, so I personally wouldn't count on them to step up.
Having said all that, I think it would be worth checking in with long term neighbors to see what shakes out, if that hasn't been done already.

 

[alliebama]

Am I allowed to post the names/property records?

 

[cvaldez1975]

Am I allowed to post the names/property records?

i dont see why not as it is public info. i posted it on a SC case where a body was found on a porch in a freezer. but maybe a mod can interject.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

IMO, check with a mod before posting full names.

 

[data_nerd_2005]

Does anybody know if genetic genealogy technology, like @othram , has been contacted in regards to this case? My heart breaks for this little girl.

 

[Laughing]

Does anybody know if genetic genealogy technology, like @othram , has been contacted in regards to this case? My heart breaks for this little girl.

Up in the Search box, you can type a word & then select this thread only.

Now that works best when you can remember the names of the various agencies that do this sort of thing.

jmho ymmv lrr

 

[snowgoose]

Up in the Search box, you can type a word & then select this thread only.

Now that works best when you can remember the names of the various agencies that do this sort of thing.

jmho ymmv lrr

It sounds like you're implying that Othram has already been discussed, but there are no mentions of Othram in this thread before @data_nerd_2005 's post from today, unless I'm missing something? No results for GEDmatch either. I see some earlier posts wondering whether genetic genealogy is being tried, but no answers. I'm curious too.

 

[Melt71]

Pod on Baby Jane Doe:

Opelika Jane Doe by True Cold Case Files: A JPF Production • A podcast on Anchor

@JasonFutchLakeCityFL I finally found this post today and was going back to listen but the link is broken and I couldn't find an update. Any leads on where I can listen?

Does anybody know if genetic genealogy technology, like @othram , has been contacted in regards to this case? My heart breaks for this little girl.

Jason mentioned above interviewed LE for the podcast; he may know if genetic genealogy is being looked at.

 

[JasonFutchLakeCityFL]

@JasonFutchLakeCityFL I finally found this post today and was going back to listen but the link is broken and I couldn't find an update. Any leads on where I can listen?




Jason mentioned above interviewed LE for the podcast; he may know if genetic genealogy is being looked at.

Hey there, I have actually archived the episode since I’m no longer working the TCCF show. I am however, planning to re-record that episode in the future with more information on the case than what I published before.

As for information the detective gave me on this case, he told me that forensic genealogy would only be an option only if they must use it. But that was last year. I’m not sure what the plan is now, but I hope that it will be used soon.

 

[Laughing]

Up in the Search box, you can type a word & then select this thread only.

Now that works best when you can remember the names of the various agencies that do this sort of thing.

jmho ymmv lrr

Implying only that the Search feature can be used to provide the information requested.

One can search titles only and the entire forum, but that does little to help one determine if a genetics lab has been active on any specific thread.

Typing the relevant name in the Search box & selecting Search This Thread Only does just that.

I do not know if the poster above knew that an individual thread can be searched.

If one tries that using 'othram' in the Search box and selects Search This Thread Only, that request is the only return, indicating that no one invited Othram to this thread previously.

Now other companies may have been invited, I did not use the Search feature to check.

ymmv lrr

 

[Claireishere]

Hey there, I have actually archived the episode since I’m no longer working the TCCF show. I am however, planning to re-record that episode in the future with more information on the case than what I published before.

As for information the detective gave me on this case, he told me that forensic genealogy would only be an option only if they must use it. But that was last year. I’m not sure what the plan is now, but I hope that it will be used soon.

“Only if they must use it.” What does that even mean? Does he think she’s going to crawl out of the grave and give him her name? Clearly they don’t have a lot of options to identify her with. Genetic genealogy would be the best possible option

 

[JasonFutchLakeCityFL]

“Only if they must use it.” What does that even mean? Does he think she’s going to crawl out of the grave and give him her name? Clearly they don’t have a lot of options to identify her with. Genetic genealogy would be the best possible option

Your guess is only as good as mine on that. I’d hope they will utilize that!

 

[Alleykins]

I think it means they will use forensic genealogy only if, or after, they've exhausted all other means available to identify her.

 

[NamelessNotForgotten]

I am having the hardest time finding an email address for Sgt White, or for submitting tips in general. I would rather not phone them. Is it call only? Or is the FBI the sole investigating agency now? Anyone have any ideas? Thank you for being forgiving of my googling skills today, I was up late and my brain seemes to have stayed asleep this morning.

 

[Bit of hope]

I am having the hardest time finding an email address for Sgt White, or for submitting tips in general. I would rather not phone them. Is it call only? Or is the FBI the sole investigating agency now? Anyone have any ideas? Thank you for being forgiving of my googling skills today, I was up late and my brain seemes to have stayed asleep this morning.

Coming from abroad I know the problem. Sorry, I can't help you with this one.

 

[Melt71]

I am having the hardest time finding an email address for Sgt White, or for submitting tips in general. I would rather not phone them. Is it call only? Or is the FBI the sole investigating agency now? Anyone have any ideas? Thank you for being forgiving of my googling skills today, I was up late and my brain seemes to have stayed asleep this morning.

Try the Coroner's Office listed on her Namus record Unidentified Person Case (namus.gov)

 

[NamelessNotForgotten]

Try the Coroner's Office listed on her Namus record Unidentified Person Case (namus.gov)

That did the trick! Thank you.

 

[carbuff]

I think it means they will use forensic genealogy only if, or after, they've exhausted all other means available to identify her.

Yeah, I thought that's what they meant, too.

In some states, the privacy laws require that they exhaust all other means before they're allowed to use family DNA techniques. I don't know whether that's the case in Alabama, or if these guys are just dragging their feet.