On July 15, 36-year-old Whisper Owen and her 8-month-old daughter, Sandra McCarty, vanished after a doctor’s appointment in Fresno, California. The last confirmed sighting was in Atwater, where surveillance captured Owen changing Sandra’s diaper in a parking lot.
After weeks of searching, the heartbreaking discovery came when their silver Chevrolet Trailblazer was found submerged in a canal beneath a bridge in San Joaquin County. Both mother and daughter were inside.
Owen’s final hours were pieced together through license plate readers and security footage. She had visited her family in Fresno and Elk Grove before heading home. Around 8 p.m., her SUV was last recorded in Atwater, about 65 miles from Fresno. Investigators believe she may have stopped to rest or buy formula before tragedy struck.
Volunteer divers from Adventures With Purpose, using sonar technology, located the vehicle underwater. “She was doing everything she could as a mother to save Sandra,” the group shared.
Authorities have found no evidence of foul play, though the California Highway Patrol continues to investigate. Meanwhile, family, friends, and supporters mourn the devastating loss.
