Never Quit Looking — Case File
Unidentified Person
Case ID#: 0268
VICTIM’S PHOTOGRAPH
Unidentified
Jane Doe
May Also Be Known As: Woman with the Belgian Connection
Unidentified Person Notice: In English, unidentified individuals are often known as “Jane Doe” or “John Doe.” This means the victim’s true name is currently unknown.
Biological Sex: Female
Age at the Time: Between 20 to 65 years old
Country: The Netherlands
Date Located: January 6, 2013
Brief Overview: The Woman with the Belgian Connection was an unidentified woman (age unknown) found deceased along the banks of lake Pietersplas in the Netherlands. She may have washed downstream from Belgium.
Public Awareness Notice: This case file is provided for public awareness and responsible information sharing. If you have relevant information, please contact the appropriate law enforcement agency.
Victim Description
Physical Description
Date of Birth
Likely Between 1947 – 1992
Age
Between 20 to 65 years old
Age Group
20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s
Biological Sex
Female
Shoe Size
Woman’s EU Size 34 or 35 (small shoes for her size)
Physical Build
Physical Build
Average, Stocky
Height (ft’ in”)
5'7"
Height (cm)
170 cm
Distinguishing Features
Dental Condition
Her teeth had amalgam fillings which means she had received high-quality dental care.
Other Descriptors
She was approximately 170 cm tall, of normal or stocky build, and she probably had large breasts and noticeably small feet, European shoe size 34 or 35. She was an adult, but her age was difficult to determine.
Based on her skull, a facial reconstruction was made, but this can only be an indication of how she may have looked.
Clothing & Accessories
Clothing
Description
- She was not wearing any clothing.
Possessions & Accessories
Description
Several distinctive pieces of jewelry, though they were not particularly valuable.
- A silver ring stamped with the French brand Clio Blue, size 58. The ring features a small fish pendant set with a pink stone and was worn on her right index finger.
- A stainless steel ring with a small stone, worn on her right middle finger.
- A silver-coloured Japanese Q&Q quartz wristwatch worn on the woman’s left wrist. The watch is decorated with small stones around the dial (product number GQ20J204Y). According to the manufacturer, this model was uncommon and not sold in the Netherlands. Only about 1,400 units were sold worldwide, mainly in Eastern European countries, with an estimated value of €30–€50.
- A silver-coloured tongue piercing
- A stainless steel necklace engraved on the back with the letters “SL” and two small arrows. The engraving may represent a brand, personal initials, or another symbolic meaning.
Description of Events
Discovery / Recovery
Date Recovered or Discovered
January 6, 2013
The Incident
The body of an unidentified woman was found on January 6, 2013, along the overgrown banks of Pietersplas lake, also known locally as Grindgat Oost-Maarland. The remote body of water, straddling the border between Belgium and the Netherlands near the historic city of Maastricht, is fed by the Meuse River (known as the Maas in Dutch), which winds through both countries. Authorities believe the woman’s remains likely originated upstream in the river, possibly near Liège in Belgium or even further south, before being carried by currents to the lake’s shore.
The passerby who stumbled upon the scene reported the body amidst a scattering of random debris that had washed up, suggesting it had been adrift for an extended period. According to police reports, the woman was not wearing any clothing, and the advanced state of decomposition made it impossible to determine an exact cause of death. Forensic experts estimated she had been in the water for several weeks or months, leading investigators to treat the case as suspicious, with potential foul play not ruled out.
A significant breakthrough came from DNA testing, which matched a blood sample from the woman to evidence in an unrelated Belgian police investigation. While this link did not reveal her identity, it strongly suggested she had resided or spent time in Belgium prior to her death. Despite this, authorities have not dismissed the possibility that she originated from elsewhere in Europe or beyond, given the river’s international path.
The case has been featured on international databases for unidentified persons, including Interpol’s Black Notice system and the Doe Network, in hopes of generating leads. Dutch and Belgian police collaborated on the investigation, conducting extensive searches along the Meuse River and appealing to the public for information. No missing persons reports from the time matched her description, and efforts to reconstruct her face through forensic artistry have been attempted, though with limited success due to the remains’ condition.
Multiple Victims?
No
Time of Death
Unknown but she appeared to have been in the water a long time
Cause of Death
Exact cause of death could not be determined
Suspected Homicide?
Yes
Excluded via DNA Testing
There was a match on her DNA against a blood sample from a Belgian police investigation. This did not lead to an identification of the woman, but it is an indication that she stayed or lived in Belgium before her death.
Places of Interest
Discovery / Recovery
Street Address
Pietersplas or Grindgat Oost-Maarland (Lake) - On the border between Belgium and the Netherlands
State or Province
Maastricht
Country
The Netherlands
Latitude & Longitude
50.82483185,5.7011374
General Location
Rural
Photo Gallery
Resources
Articles & Other Written Works
- Doe Network, “1956UFNET”, Link.
Contact Authorities
Police, Relevant Agencies, & Other Useful Personnel
Important Notice
This page is not intended for emergency use. Contact details may change over time, and the information listed below may be outdated or incomplete. If you notice an error or have a correction, please let us know.
To the best of our ability, we have provided contact information for the national police agency or, where that is not available, the police agency serving the capital city. Our hope is that these agencies may be able to direct readers to the proper office, even when a matter falls outside their immediate jurisdiction.
For the most accurate guidance, please contact the relevant embassy in your country or your own country’s embassy or consulate in the country involved.
Contact Information — Belgium
Agency 🏢
Federal Police of Belgium (Politie Fédérale)
Phone Number 📞
2 554 44 88
Emergency Phone Number 🚨
101
Website 💻
Email Address 📧
IDD Prefix
00
Country Code
+32
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