10 months ago
TRACY, CA - Tracy Police Chief Janet Thiessen confirmed Monday night a suitcase-like container found in an irrigation pond did contain the remains of 8-year-old Sandra Cantu.
The container was transported in a van to the San Joaquin County Coroner's Office in French Camp late Monday afternoon, according to Bay Area tv station KGO.
"There are no indications there are human remains in there," said Sgt. Tony Sheneman with the Tracy Police Department in an earlier Monday afternoon news conference.
Sheneman said investigators were photographing and mapping the area off Tracy Boulevard and Whitehall Road where the container was found by farmworkers about 10 a.m. He said the workers were draining the pond in preparation of flooding a nearby field when the item floated to the surface. A worker moved it to the pond edge, Sheneman said, and then called authorities.
The sergeant said the area was gone over twice in the last two weekends as searchers looked for Sandra Cantu. She vanished March 27. The last sighting of her was on surveillance tape about 4 p.m. that day in Orchard Estates mobile home park where she lives with her family.
NEWS10 SPECIAL: Sandra Cantu Search
Sheneman described the item as a black container of substantial size. Aerial images of the item show what appears to be a dark-colored suitcase or garment bag. The pond is surrounded by cropland.
Tracy police, the California Highway Patrol and numerous official vehicles were at the scene.
News10/KXTV
