“He Is a Hero”: Severed Head Found on Miami Beach Identified as 19-Year-Old Victor Castaneda
(Image: GoFundMe)
Authorities in Florida have confirmed that the severed head found washed up on a Miami beach last week belongs to 19-year-old Victor Castaneda Jr., a swimmer who tragically lost his life after saving his younger sister from a riptide.
The Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the remains, discovered on November 12, as belonging to Castaneda. He went missing on November 9 while swimming with his 17-year-old sister, Chloe, who was caught in a rip current.
Castaneda managed to save her but was pulled out to sea by the current. His remains surfaced three days later. “I do know that my little brother was in the water with my little sister, and he saved her life. He is a hero,” Chloe Castaneda said, paying tribute to her brother’s bravery.
The gruesome discovery was made around 8:30 a.m. by a worker raking the beach near the Key Colony II Ocean Sound condominium in Key Biscayne. The worker immediately alerted authorities, and the area was cordoned off with police tape. Miami-Dade Police Detective Artemis Colom told CBS News that initial responders were uncertain whether the head belonged to a male or female until further examination confirmed Victor’s identity.
Helicopter footage captured the scene as police covered the remains with a blue tarp secured by orange traffic cones. The incident left local residents and visitors shaken. “You see all kinds of things here, but nothing like this, like we saw this morning. The head of a person,” Bahman Amini told CBS News.
“This is my typical route. Our neighborhood is very safe. We have our children here; our children play on these beaches, and it’s just beyond belief,” another local resident shared with WPLG. Visitors and former residents expressed their concern and curiosity about the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
“That’s pretty scary and crazy,” Alex Portuondo, a former resident now visiting from Denver, said. “I have never heard of anything like this happening before on this kind of beach.” Tourist Kristy Sippel added, “It is scary. I would like to know what happened,” while Miami resident Mollie McAuliffe echoed the sentiment, saying, “I have questions about where it came from, where the remains came from. It is pretty upsetting.”
Authorities have yet to release additional details about the incident. As the investigation continues, Castaneda’s family is left grieving the loss of a young man described as selfless and heroic. A GoFundMe has been created to help the Castaneda family cover funeral expenses. The tragedy has left the community mourning and seeking answers, while Victor is remembered for his courage and sacrifice.
