Belgium, La Louvière - WhtFem, 25-35, 1m66, brown hair, ill-maintained teeth, 25 Jan 2025

[anijs6]

On 25 January 2025, at 4.40pm, the skeleton of a woman was found on the towpath along the Centre Canal, near Rue Hector Ameye in La Louvière. To date, the identity of this woman is unknown.

She was believed to be between 25 and 35 years old. She was about 1m66 tall and had incomplete and unkempt teeth. She had dark brown hair at the roots and mahogany brown hair at the tips.

She wore black imitation leather leggings with the image of a snowflake on the right front pocket, a black hoodie of the brand ‘Basic By NPO’, a dark blue short-sleeved T-shirt with white lines of the brand ‘Pull and Bear’ (size L) and beige and white trainers of the brand ‘New Yorker’ (size 38).

Official post by the Belgian Police

 

[ZaZara]

This is very strange. They found a skeleton on the towpath? How could that happen?
The area and the towpath part of the town, there are houses and streets next to it. The location looks like a place where people walk their dogs, or take a walk without a dog. A parking place for various cars is nearby.
IMO the remains of that unfortunate woman did not become skeletonized on that location.

Did you manage to find more info, @anijs6 ?

 

[anijs6]

This is very strange. They found a skeleton on the towpath? How could that happen?
The area and the towpath part of the town, there are houses and streets next to it. The location looks like a place where people walk their dogs, or take a walk without a dog. A parking place for various cars is nearby.
IMO the remains of that unfortunate woman did not become skeletonized on that location.

Did you manage to find more info, @anijs6 ?

Indeed, very strange. Both the police and the press talk about a skeleton in Dutch and French.

Sudinfo says: “A partially clothed human skeleton was found in an advanced state of decomposition.” So that indeed suggests she has been deceased for some time, also considering the weather in January.

 

[anijs6]

Picture/reconstruction by Stichting Coldcasezaken

 

[Susikatze]

She looks like she could have been homeless or from the substance abuse scene - especially her teeth point to that. I also believe she may not have been Belgian but was an immigrant, maybe Southeast Europe/Balkans/Bulgaria, maybe Romani.

I hope she can get her name back. She had a family, friends, maybe children.

jmoo

 

[Selune]

From the look of her facial features i would also suggest Southeastern europe. Her teeth could be from both drugs or more likely malnutrition. Pull and Bear isn't a very spreaded store. They only have 10 locations in Belgium all located in the big cities. 2 Only around Leuven and Louvain la neuve. I mean she could have gotten it from other sources but its likely she frequented the store.

 

[anijs6]

The woman has been identified.

Twitter post by the Federal Police
Facebook post by the Federal Police

 

[The4TierBridge]

The woman has been identified.

Twitter post by the Federal Police
Facebook post by the Federal Police

I’m assuming no name because it’s Europe?

 

[anijs6]

I’m assuming no name because it’s Europe?

Probably.

From what I could find from this article:
According to what we have heard, DNA analysis was decisive in this case. [...] The investigation followed several steps: first, the clothes were examined and missing persons databases were consulted. When no matches were found, investigators resorted to DNA analysis. Since 2018, the genetic profiles of missing persons, their relatives, and unidentified remains have been compared in databases, including those abroad. This step, although effective, takes time. Finally, a composite sketch was created from the skeleton, which was also a lengthy process. According to Commissioner David Rimaux of the missing persons unit, one lead was considered at one point, but it turned out to be false: the person in question was actually alive. No further information has been released at this stage regarding the victim's identity or the circumstances of his death. The investigation is ongoing.

 

[ZaZara]

The victim was found in January and identified in July / August. I think that is pretty quick given the problems that the investigators faced. Well done!

 

[ninetimesfifteen]

So she was reported as missing and her relatives gave their DNA to a database to help find her, which led to her identification? Am I understanding this correctly?

 

[anijs6]

So she was reported as missing and her relatives gave their DNA to a database to help find her, which led to her identification? Am I understanding this correctly?

Info from another article:
Since July 2018, DNA profiles established from mortal remains, traces of missing persons or persons related to a missing person have been recorded and compared in databases. This valuable information makes it possible to identify unidentified remains, as was the case with this woman. It is also useful for searching for missing persons. Initially, when she was discovered in La Louvière, the young woman in question had not been reported missing. She was subsequently reported missing. The case is under investigation.

Also, new info in the article: it appears that she had not been heard from for over 10 years.