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Sketch could help solve mystery of dead boy on Galveston beach

The sketch is now the only tool detectives have to learn the boy's name. 

GALVESTON, Texas- A mystery continues to unfold along the shores of Galveston Island. Police found a little boy's body on the beach Friday night, and 48 hours later nothing is washing up but more questions.

"This baby almost looked alive," said Lois Gibson.

Gibson is a world renown sketch artist that works with HPD. She's one of a few people who have seen the dead boy's photos.

RELATED: Police release sketch of boy found dead on Galveston beach

"He was all there, his lips were full and I could see his teeth and picture him smiling," said Gibson. "He had beautiful eyelashes, everything was intact, he was one of the best unidentified murder victims I'd ever seen."

Her job was to make the 3 to 5-year-old boy come to life in her sketch to help detectives get answers.

"I could picture him running for a second, then to get my adrenaline running I picture him getting hurt, and then I stopped it and started drawing," said Gibson.

The sketch is now the only tool detectives have to learn the boy's name. Gibson has sketched seven murdered children in her career. Her last sketch helped Galveston PD identify "Baby Grace" and ultimately led to the arrest of the little girl's mother.

"It's really hard when it's a baby," said Gibson. "I've identified every baby that I've drawn a picture of. I want that. I need it."

Galveston Police say no one's reported a little boy missing. He was discovered naked just east of the Beach Hut on a stretch of beach not known for visitors this time of year. It's unclear if he washed up or was dumped. But detectives say they are handling this as a homicide until they see proof otherwise.

"You can't figure out who murdered that child because you don't have a name, but as soon as you have a name it's so easy to solve," said Gibson. "Once you find the parents you're done you get to look in their face and say where's your little boy?"

Galveston Police say the sketch released Sunday night has generate lots of tips. Gibson is hoping they keep coming in and one of them helps bring justice to this little boy.

"I want this one to get solved yesterday, now, five minutes from now, I want people to share this," said Gibson. "I want someone to call so detectives can put this to bed."

Investigators are still waiting on an autopsy report hoping to glean more answers about what happened to this little boy. If you have any information, you're asked to call Galveston Police at (409) 765-3702 or Crime Stoppers (409) 762-8477.

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