HOUSTON — The woman who found a little girl's body in a north Houston creek Monday was heartbroken to learn the victim was strangled before she was dumped there.
The Harris County Medical Examiner's Office identified the victim as 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray.
Billie Jean Jackson told us she's the woman who found Jocelyn's body near West Rankin Road just west of the North Freeway. Jackson said she had just dropped her husband off at work and was crossing the bridge over the creek around 6 a.m. when something caught her eye.
"I saw what I thought was a mannequin," Jackson said.
She turned back to take a closer look and realized it was a "young lady's body" so she called 911.
"It broke my heart when I found out she was 12," an emotional Jackson told us. "I was devastated. We have a 12-year-old granddaughter and it broke my heart."
Now, she hopes other possible witnesses will come forward to help find Jocelyn's killers.
"The detective told me a lot of people don’t come forward," Jackson said. "Everybody deserves closure, so if you find something or see something, everybody deserves closure and peace."
HPD identifies 2 men as 'persons of interest' in death of Jocelyn Nungaray
Houston police released surveillance photos late Tuesday of two men they hope to identify and question about the child's death.
Police described the persons of interest as "two males of an unknown age, wearing baseball-style caps."
Mayor John Whitmire said Jocelyn was talking with her 13-year-old boyfriend on the phone late Sunday after sneaking out of her family's apartment.
“It appears that he last talked to her at a convenience store around midnight, heard her talking to two grown-ups," Whitmire said. "There will be a report issued shortly with very, very bad, horrific circumstances.”
The mayor also said Jocelyn was raped and asked for prayers for the victim's family.
If you recognize these men or have any other information about this case, you're asked to call Houston police at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 713-222-TIPS. There is a $5,000 reward for information about this case.
'Her little girl is gone'
"I have talked to this child's mother. She is devastated, her family is devastated," Acting Police Chief Larry Satterwhite said at a news conference Monday afternoon. "Her little girl is gone."
Joselyn's mother told them she last saw her daughter around 10 p.m. Sunday when she put everyone to bed.
Homicide detectives were working to learn if she was in contact with anyone else before or after she left home sometime between 10 p.m. and midnight.
"Looking into whatever communications could have happened," HPD Lt. Stephen Hope said.
They hope the surveillance video and photos will give them answers.
Again, if you have any information about this case, you're asked to call Houston police at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 713-222-TIPS. There is a $5,000 reward for information about this case.
