PUBLIC’S HELP NEEDED TO IDENTIFY WOMAN FOUND DEAD NEAR CREEK IN SANTEE AFTER FLOOD

East County News Service

Photo, left: Forensic artist PJ Puterbaugh created this sketch of the unidentified woman found in Santee and a tattoo of a winged dolphin and hearts on her leg.

February 3, 2023 (Santee) -- The San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office needs assistance identifying a woman found unresponsive in the brush on the southern border of Forester Creek in Santee. Paramedics responded to help on the afternoon of Monday, Jan. 22, but she could not be resuscitated.

A forensic sketch artist created this drawing of the woman. Photographs of the tattoo and jewelry are also provided.

She is either Caucasian or Hispanic and appears to be between 45 and 55 years of age with brown eyes and brunette hair approximately 20 inches in length. She was approximately 5 feet 5 inches and weighed 229 pounds. She had no clothing or identification, and investigators have not been able to identify her with fingerprints.

She wore a bracelet engraved with “Mama B” on the front and “4/21/2006” on the back of it. She also had a tattoo on her right leg of a dolphin with wings on it and some hearts.

If you think you recognize this woman, please contact the Investigations Unit of the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office at (858) 694-2905 and reference case number 2024-00240.

Photo, right: This is jewelry that was worn by the unidentified woman.

During the storm that flooded the creek on Jan. 22, authorities received reports of people in distress amid heavy rains at Prospect Ave. and Cuyamaca St.  The San Diego County Sheriff’s Dept. assisted El Cajon Police and  Fire in responding. Later that day, the woman’s body was found in brush downstream.

A man’s body was found two days later.  His identity has not yet been released by the Medical Examiner.