Human head that washed ashore in South Florida belonged to missing swimmer

The human head that washed ashore in South Florida this week belonged to a missing 19-year-old swimmer, police said Friday.

Victor Enrique Castaneda Jr. went missing Saturday near the jetty area at South Pointe Drive, Miami Beach police said. Castaneda was not found after a three-hour search, police said.

The Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner on Friday confirmed remains found Tuesday near Key Biscayne belonged to Castaneda, police said.

A cause and manner of death for Castaneda was not released.

The investigation into Castaneda’s death is ongoing, officials said.

A beach worker Tuesday morning spotted a human head floating on the shoreline close to a small island near Key Biscayne, Miami-Dade police said.

Miami-Dade police said earlier this week that investigators had not determined whether the person was killed in a slaying or whether a marine animal or a boating accident could have led to a decapitation.

Miami Beach police did not provide further details.