Indian-Origin Woman Missing For Two Months Found Dead In California Canal

A 72-year-old woman's disappearance from a California apartment complex ended on October 24, when a canal worker came across a body during his rounds. The Ceres Police Department (CPD) said the body is that of Ajit Kaur, an Indian-origin woman who had been missing since August.

Police said an employee of the Turlock Irrigation District (TID) found the body in the Lower Lateral 3 Canal, near Central Avenue and Keyes Road in Ceres, on Saturday, October 24. TID runs the canal system in the area, and the employee was carrying out one of the district's multiple daily patrols at the time.

Officers went to the scene and confirmed that the remains were human. They were sent to the Stanislaus County Coroner's Office (SCCO), which identified the body on October 27.

Kaur was reported missing from the Casa Grande Apartment complex in Ceres on August 23, 2026. Police said she was last seen that day at about 1.45 am, near Whitmore Avenue and Mitchell Road in the city. They gave those details in a post on 22 October.

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Detectives said their investigation led them to believe that Kaur "may have entered" the TID canal east of the apartment complex. Police said they "pursued available leads and conducted extensive efforts to locate" her.

Officers canvassed the "surrounding area", including canal areas across Ceres. They also worked with a K9 from the Merced County Sheriff's Office, trained to track and find missing people. The Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department Dive Unit helped too, using an underwater remote sonar drone to scan the canals.

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Detectives also worked with TID to map the water routes she might have taken. They looked into whether she could have reached the TID regulating reservoir.

"The Ceres Police Department extends its heartfelt condolences to Kaur's family and loved ones during this difficult time," CPD said in a statement. "Our thoughts are with them as they navigate this loss."

The department added, "We are grateful to the agencies and personnel who assisted throughout this investigation."