A Jane Doe For Monday Mystery...!

Well, the trip to the V.A. was a good one. At least the results were good compared to what they could have been. Lungs were fine, blood work came back normal, and EKG showed no problems. Blood pressure was good also.

The doctor figured that I had a low level infection of some kind, prescribed some antibiotics and that was that. Why was I coughing up a little blood? I never seem to get a good answer for that one. However, all seems clear right now.

Things didn't turn out as well for our Jane Doe on today's mystery, however. Let's take a look at her case, OK?

The Sycamore Jane Doe

On August 14, 1995, a hiker climbed to the top of a high ridge in the Sycamore Canyon Wilderness area in Arizona. He looked down to see a set of skeletal remains on a knife-edged ridge above the canyon floor. The victim had no identification, but it was eventually determined that she was a white female between the ages of 25 and 40. She had been deceased for between six months and a year, but her cause of death was unknown. A one-piece Catalina-brand swimsuit was found hanging from a nearby tree. Skeletal remains of an infant were found with the victim. This meant that Jane Doe had made it to full-term pregnancy before she died, so the big question was: How could a nine-month-pregnant woman make it to such a rugged area in the first place?

The trail leading into Sycamore Canyon is 16 kilometers (10 mi) away from the town of Clarkdale. Jane Doe was discovered 4 kilometers (2.5 mi) from the beginning of the trail, and no abandoned vehicles were found in the area. While it wouldn’t have been impossible for a pregnant woman to hike the trail, it seemed very unlikely that she could have handled climbing to the top of the remote ridge where she was found. On the other hand, it would have been equally difficult for someone to move the body of a pregnant woman to that location. One possible theory is that she was accompanied to that location by someone else who subsequently abandoned her. Even after many pleas to the public for information, the Sycamore Jane Doe has never been identified.

Ya know,sometimes life is just a big mystery...seemingly without an answer. I personally think we are just supposed to deal with it as best we can and then move on. I'm glad that baby Sis was able to drive me over to V.A., but she is good about doing things to help others. Maybe she could help solve some of these mysteries, ya reckon?

Thanks for all the kind concerns and prayers about the visit to V.A.! I really appreciate it!

Coffee out on the patio this morning. Supposed to go into the 70s again today!