Human Head That Washed up on a Miami Beach Belonged to a Heroic Teen

Victor Enrique Castaneda Jr. was 19 when he went missing on November 9 while trying to rescue his little sister from a rip current near South Pointe Park in Miami. His sister was dragged to safety by a bystander, but Castaneda sunk beneath the water. His body could not be located even after the area was thoroughly searched by the Coast Guard. On November 12, a beach worker on Key Biscayne found a human head that had washed ashore. It was later confirmed that the head belonged to Castaneda. No one yet knows how or why his head was removed from his body. Investigators have their theories, maybe a Marine animal or a boating accident, but they don’t have any indication of foul play. ## Videos by VICE “He was the most kind person I’ve ever known,” said Jessica Castaneda, his other sister. Friends and family gathered at South Pointe Beach this past Saturday for a memorial service to celebrate his life. They were wearing T-shirts with the words “Forever 19” to honor his memory and to Miami-Dade County fire rescue boats fired water cannons in his honor. Castaneda was one of eight children. Jessica went on to say, “My brother was an amazing, amazing person and to know him was to love him. He couldn’t have been more perfect. The most kind person I’ve ever known.”