Missing Mother and 8-Month-Old Baby Found Dead in Submerged Car Weeks After Doctor's Visit

Weeks of frantic searching ended in sorrow when a Northern California family finally learned the fate of a mother and her infant daughter who vanished during what should have been a routine trip. The mother and child, missing for more than a month, were discovered in a submerged car, bringing a heartbreaking close to a tense and uncertain search.

A mother and her infant daughter, who had been missing for more than a month, were found dead over the weekend in a submerged 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer in Northern California. The mother was identified as Whisper Owens and her eight-month-old daughter, Sandra McCarthy.

On Sunday, August 17, 2025, search teams located Whisper and her eight-month-old daughter inside their Trailblazer, which was found submerged in a canal beneath a bridge at Highway 120 and Victory Avenue near Oakdale. Sonar equipment was used to detect the vehicle.

The search team reported that both Whisper and Sandra were found inside the vehicle, noting that Whisper appeared to have tried to protect her daughter during the ordeal. The circumstances that left them trapped under the bridge remain unclear.

Whisper and her daughter had been unaccounted for since July 15, 2025, the day she traveled to Fresno for a medical appointment and to see family. She began the trip back to Sacramento later that evening but never made it home.

According to the Owens family, police traced Whisper's phone to a location near the canal, which led searchers to the spot where her vehicle was later found lodged beneath a bridge. Inside, both she and her daughter were discovered.

An image from the scene showed the Trailblazer on its side in the water, partially lifted with the aid of cables and towing equipment. Nearby, law enforcement officers and emergency crews stood alongside a fire truck and other rescue gear.

The discovery marked a heartbreaking conclusion to the weeks-long search that had left loved ones anxiously waiting for answers. Authorities have not yet explained how the SUV became submerged in the canal, and the case is under investigation.

Whisper's brother, Richard Owens, spoke about the family's deep sense of loss, noting how central she was to their lives and expressing the difficulty of imagining how the family would move forward without her and her daughter.

He reflected on the heartbreak of losing a child before she had a chance to grow and the lasting impact the tragedy would have on the family.

Richard further expressed his grief over the loss, noting the pain of knowing that his niece's siblings would never have the chance to watch her grow or discover her personality.

Still, he found some comfort in the fact that the family no longer had to spend years wondering what happened. He also expressed his gratitude toward the search teams and community members who went beyond expectations to help bring his family answers.

He later posted a personal tribute online, also sharing a separate message dedicated to his niece. The tragic discovery followed weeks of uncertainty, as relatives and investigators retraced Whisper's journey to Fresno, searching for any lead that explained her and her baby's disappearance.

On July 23, 2025, authorities announced on Facebook that the mother and daughter had been reported missing. Whisper's mother, Vickie Torres of Fresno, also provided additional context on July 31, 2025.

Before heading to the doctor's appointment, Whisper stopped at her mother's home to care for her daughter and later visited her brother's house before returning to her mother's residence.

Authorities followed the vehicle using traffic cameras, which recorded the pair as they left the Fresno area after departing from her mother's home.

Surveillance video from a smoke shop along their travel route showed Whisper briefly stopping to tend to her baby. The vehicle was last seen near Shaffer and Bellevue Roads in the area, after which both mother and daughter disappeared.

Authorities indicated that, based on the investigation at the time, there was no evidence suggesting foul play in the disappearance of Whisper and her daughter. Because Whisper frequently stayed with her mother, her partner and the baby's father were not initially concerned when they did not return home that evening.

Three days later, her partner called to check on Whisper, which marked the start of the family's growing concern. Her mother struggled with worry, fearing something may have happened to both her daughter and granddaughter.

The mother feared that her daughter might have experienced a medical emergency while traveling, as she had a history of preeclampsia during pregnancy and continued to have high blood pressure afterward. Sandra was not Whisper's only child; she also had a nine-year-old and a three-year-old with her partner, as well as a 16-year-old daughter from a previous relationship.

The family emphasized that Whisper would not have intentionally disappeared and described her as well-loved by those who knew her. Since her disappearance, they had been searching the roads between Fresno and Sacramento, speaking with local business owners, distributing flyers, and sharing information on social media in hopes of finding clues.

Sandra's older sister, Andrea McCarty, also reached out on social media seeking assistance. She shared details about the timeline of their disappearance and the vehicle involved, noting that Whisper's phone was inactive, and expressed gratitude to those helping spread the information.

Authorities even conducted checks at family shelters. They described Whisper as approximately 5'6" and 145 pounds, with blue eyes and brown hair, while her daughter is about 1'10" and 17 pounds, with green eyes and brown hair.

The discovery of the mother and daughter brings an end to a harrowing search that held a community in suspense for weeks.

While the circumstances surrounding the tragedy remain under investigation, the family can now begin the long and painful process of grieving, remembering, and honoring the lives of a mother and her child who were deeply loved and will be profoundly missed.