Morbid update after hero brother saved sister from drowning on a Florida beach

A severed caput recovered washed up connected a formation belonged to a teen who drowned aft heroically redeeming his sister.

Victor Enrique Castaneda Jr, 19, and his sister, Hailey Clements, got successful to occupation portion swimming at South Point Beach successful Miami connected November 9.

The siblings were dragged retired to oversea by a rip existent and Victor 'threw' his sister distant from the unsafe waters earlier disappearing beneath the waves.

His past enactment was capable for 2 different swimmers to scope her and bring her to enactment safely without injury. 

Police searched frantically for Victor but helium was ne'er recovered alive, and his household hoped they would astatine slightest beryllium capable to retrieve his body.

Then connected Tuesday a severed caput washed up connected Key Biscayne, an land disconnected the seashore of Miami, shocking beachgoers aft it was recovered by a idiosyncratic raking the sand.

Police took the grisly find for introspection by the aesculapian examiner and did not initially marque the transportation to Victor's drowning 3 days earlier.

Detectives didn't adjacent regularisation retired homicide arsenic an mentation for however the caput got there. 

But by Friday they confirmed the caput belonged to Victor, though the remainder of his remains are inactive mislaid to the ocean.

'The Miami Beach Police Department extends prayers and condolences to the family,' said Cmdr. Shantell Mitchell said.

'Our unfortunate advocates volition proceed to supply enactment to the household during this time.' 

Police said they would proceed to portion unneurotic precisely what happened to Victory aft his sister mislaid show of him, to springiness his household closure. 

Victor's older sister called him 'the champion portion of the family' and praised his selfless sacrifice that saved Jessica's life.

'A leader - beingness has a mode of taking the champion people. There was a clip erstwhile helium was each that kept this household going. Pure, genuine, truthful afloat of life,' she wrote connected Instagram.

Another older sister, Jessica, 34, posted photos successful memorial of the beloved member who saved Hailey's life, sharing her 'insurmountable' pain.

'My bosom is wholly and irreparably shattered. Your lack volition ne'er beryllium accepted. No words could ever picture however overmuch I emotion you Victor,' she wrote. 

'To the apical of the highest upland and to the depths deeper than the titanic, I emotion you small brother. I emotion you truthful much.

'I volition miss you each 2nd of each infinitesimal of each azygous time for the remainder of my life.

'I volition imagination of your grin and your infectious laughter until I find you successful the adjacent life, successful each beingness I volition find you.'

Victor's household collectively mourned him connected a fundraiser for his ceremonial that has amassed much than $26,000 successful donations. 

'He died a hero, utilizing each his spot to prevention his sister from drowning,' they wrote.

'Even earlier this, Victor was a leader successful each sense. He sacrificed his dreams to articulation the army, each to supply a location for his family. 

'Serving others was ever his existent calling.'