Watch CBS News

Authorities identify century-old girl found buried under San Francisco home

SAN FRANCISCO -- It's a mystery that spanned 120 years and took 11 months to solve.

But now, authorities say they have finally identified a young girl -- 3-year-old Edith Rose Cook -- whose body was found in May 2016, buried in a coffin underneath a San Francisco home that was being renovated. 

It's believed that Cook was left behind when the Odd Fellows Cemetery, where she was originally buried, was relocated to Colma, Calif. When her body was discovered more than a century later, Garden of Innocence, a group that buries unnamed children, took on the case. 

The group gathered a team, including a bio-molecular engineer, to try and find Cook's name and trace any living family members. A genealogist took the names into the old cemetery and tracked down living relatives, taking a DNA sample to compare. 

It turns out that Pete Cook was a match — Cook's great, great nephew. 

"I was jumping for joy because it gave me more opportunity to find out about my family," he told CBS San Francisco. "It will be something that I can pass on to my children."

In June, a memorial service will be held for Edith Rose Cook. She will be reburied underneath a headstone that includes her name. 

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.