Her Feeding Tube Might Help Identify The Body Of The Madisonville Jane Doe

Authorities said a man mowing a parcel of property between Houston and Dallas found the suitcase along a fenced-in area. Angeline Hartmann, the host of the "Inside Crime" podcast, spoke with the man, who requested anonymity.

"The pasture is so close to the highway [that] things fly over there all the time," Hartmann told CrimeFeed. "So at first, he thought he hit something random. When he saw it was a suitcase, he opened it up to get identification."

According to Hartman, the man said he wasn't sure at first what was in the suitcase, but when he unzipped it, a distinct odor emerged from the bag.

"At first … he thought maybe it was a mouse [causing the smell] … but then he … opened the bag and saw human hair and a skull," Hartmann said.

Inside the suitcase, three white garbage bags held the skeletal remains. A pink dress for a toddler was reportedly also inside it. The dress was decorated with hearts and butterflies, and featured the phrase, "Follow Your Dreams."

The man reportedly called over his son-in-law to confirm what he found, and they contacted the police. When investigators arrived to process the scene, they discovered another disturbing clue inside the case. It appeared the child had lived off a feeding tube.

After an intense investigation, authorities in Texas reportedly determined the child was between the ages of 2 and 6 years old. She was determined to have had a condition called micrognathia, which can affect an individual’s ability to breathe and eat. She was likely dead for up to five months before being found.

The feeding tube measures 1.2 centimeters wide. It is inscribed with "aa4069f02," authorities said.

Hartmann, who also serves as director of communications for the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), said the agency is working directly with the investigators and DNA experts.

"This new piece of information helps us formulate a new strategy, from a media standpoint, to different communities,” Hartmann said. “The key to finding out who this child is will be reaching somebody out there who may not know this little girl is dead."

"These kind of cases are the worst kind. They're frustrating because you feel helpless," Madison County Sheriff Travis Neeley told NCMEC. "I mean, I cannot bring nobody back to life by no means, but I want to bring some kind of peace, if nothing else."

According to Hartmann, there is hope.

"I know this case can be solved," she said. "We just haven't reached the right person yet. This was a little girl who had a distinct medical condition, and someone knew her. It's up to all of us to pitch in, spread the word, and help give back her name."

If you know anything about this case, please call the NCMEC at (800) THE-LOST.

Listen to the full podcast on this case at Inside Crime with Angeline Hartmann.

Read more: NCMEC