A woman’s body found floating in the Dominguez Channel in Carson last month has been identified by the medical examiner’s office as that of a missing 60-year-old grandmother from Los Angeles.
Prisciliana Rose Douglas was a mother with seven children and nine grandchildren, son Ysushawa Douglas told the Southern California News Group.
Douglas had last been seen near her home in the 1100 block of West 39th Street, near USC, on July 23, authorities said.
Her body was found in the channel near the 500 block of East Carson Plaza Drive, between the 405 Freeway and the South Bay Pavilion Mall, five days later, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said.
How she came to be in the channel was not known.
Sheriff’s officials said her body showed “obvious signs of trauma” and that homicide detectives were investigating.
Relatives had tried calling her on July 28 — the day her body was found. However, it was not uncommon for her to not answer.
“She was living her life and all her children pretty much live out of town,” he said, “whether it be (Las) Vegas, Miami, Washington or Norfolk.”
Three days later, on July 31, family members reported her missing, Ysushawa Douglas said.
The family was notified of her death on Aug. 17, Ysushawa Douglas said.
“We’re holding up as good as can be expected,” he said.
Prisciliana Douglas came to Los Angeles from Belize when she was 10 years old. In the 1990s, she worked as a school bus driver and had been working as a healthcare provider when she went missing.
She came back from work on July 23 and spoke with a friend that night, the son said. She did not show up for work the next day or a planned event the following weekend.
She raised her children in South Central L.A., Ysushawa Douglas said, his mother always keeping a positive attitude and making sure school was “on the forefront of our discipline, because all her aunts and a lot of her family (members) are teachers.
“We didn’t succumb to the pressures of living in the environment,” he said.
Among the children are three who joined the military, another who works in the medical field and a plumber. Ysushawa Douglas worked as an EMT in L.A. County and lives in Las Vegas.
Prisciliana Douglas enjoyed crocheting dresses, hats and sweaters.
“She was really excited about that, and she took a class on crocheting,” Ysushawa Douglas said.
She was often at church and worked with Disciples on the Move, an evangelical Christian organization made up of Los Angeles churches, for 26 years, Ysushawa Douglas said.
Anytime he was in town to see his son, Ysushawa Douglas would call his mother and they would go on walks or to breakfast, he said.
“She was just loving, caring, always positive and instilled that in us,” he said.
Prisciliana Douglas’ children who live out of state plan to travel to California to hold a memorial service for her.
