After more than a month of searching, heartbreak struck a Northern California family when 27-year-old Whisper Owens and her 8-month-old daughter, Sandra McCarthy, were found dead inside a submerged SUV.

Authorities recovered Whisper’s 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer on August 17, 2025, using sonar to locate the vehicle in a canal under Highway 120 near Oakdale. The young mother and baby had been missing since July 15, when she set out for a doctor’s appointment and family visit in Fresno but never made it home to Sacramento.

Loved ones described Whisper as a devoted mom of four who would never have chosen to vanish. Her brother, Richard Owens, said the family is devastated but thankful to the search teams and community who helped bring closure.

Investigators are still piecing together how the SUV ended up in the water. For the family, the discovery ends weeks of agonizing uncertainty but begins the painful process of grieving a mother and child remembered for the love they gave in far too short a time.