OAKDALE, California. – A weeks-long search ended in tragedy on Sunday, when rescue crews discovered Whisper Owen, 36, and her 8-month-old daughter, Sandra McCarty, dead inside a submerged car in Oakdale, located in a canal along Highway 120.
The mother and baby had been missing since July 15, after Owen traveled to Fresno to visit family and attend a medical appointment. She left that evening to return home to Sacramento but never made it back.
Their vehicle, a 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer, was detected using sonar technology beneath a bridge. Search volunteers confirmed the bodies were inside.
According to rescuers, Owen made a desperate attempt to reach the back seat to save her daughter in her final moments. The circumstances that led to the car ending up underwater remain unclear.
