DE08 – The girl in the River Main

Case name:  The girl in the River Main

Case code: 2024-DE08

Facial reconstruction of the girl indicating what she may have looked like

Parasol stand, “ELFE” (Dutch make), model 505KE, 70 cm in diameter.The base is greyish blue and has six compartments that can be filled with sand or water.

The “nalas”, made of a loosely woven cotton fabric, approximately 5 cm wide, with braided ends with fringes (tassels), some of which were knotted.

The purple “nala” made of loosely woven cotton fabric, approximately 5 cm wide, with braided ends with fringes (tassels), some of which were knotted.

The white “nala”.

Leopard print bedspread

Terry cotton fitted sheet

Aerial view of the location where the body was found (the River Main in the Nied district of Frankfurt)

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Date of death (estimated): 28 to 31 July 2001

Date of discovery: 31 July 2001

Location: Germany: River Main near Frankfurt

Sex: Female

Estimated year of birth: 1985-1988

Estimated age: 13 to 16 years old

Height: 157 cm

Skin tone: Fair

Hair colour: Dark brown, about 30 cm long

Eye colour: Unknown

Clothing: None

Tattoos, birthmarks, scars: According to the autopsy report, the girl's left ear was deformed by violence during her life, resulting in a “cauliflower ear” (swelling and distortion).

Both ear lobes were pierced (for earrings).

She had several long scars on the forehead, torso and legs, and numerous burn scars, some of which are consistent with cigarette burns.

Jewellery: None

The case:

At about 14.50 on 31 July 2001, several witnesses noticed a bundle floating in the River Main in the Nied district of Frankfurt.

The bundle was wrapped in a brown leopard print bedspread, tied with 5 cm-wide traditional, braided drawstring belts often found in Pakistan and Afghanistan, known as a “nalas”. 

Inside was a terry cloth bed sheet containing the body. Her legs were folded against her chest, and her arms were tightly placed against her body. The entire bundle was tied to a parasol stand, likely to serve as a weight to cause it to sink.

Characteristics:

The girl was approximately 15 to 16 years old. According to forensic examinations, she may have come from Afghanistan, Pakistan, or northern India, and moved to Germany very early in life (between four months and five years of age). The girl may have spent part of her childhood in the Odenwald, Rheinpfalz or Hunsrueck areas of Germany, and is believed to have spent the last 22 months of her life in an urban area of Germany.

The girl had sustained multiple injuries, pointing to prolonged and severe maltreatment, for which she had not received proper medical attention. These include fractures to both upper arms that had healed in the wrong position.

There were indications of possible sexual abuse.

Contact
If you have any information regarding the possible identity of this person, please contact the German national police via the form below.

You can also contact them and view this case on their national police website.

Identify Me: DE08 - The girl in the River Main

If you have any information regarding the possible identity of this person, please contact the national police.

Contact INTERPOL and the German police