Emergency responders pulled the body of a 51-year-old man out of Lake Arlington earlier this month after a Park District worker discovered some “personal belongings” near the sail boat launch at Lake Arlington, and a land and water search was started.
According to an Arlington Heights Police Department news release, a 9-1-1 call was placed Aug. 4 after the Park District worker found the items in the 2200 block of North Windsor.
Responding officers spoke to Park District employees near the scene and examined what was found. In addition to the personal items, a vehicle was located in an adjacent parking lot and it was determined to belong to the same person as the items, the release states.
“Officers learned a family member had recently reported this person as missing to Wheeling Police, with specific concerns for their wellbeing,” authorities stated in the release.
The Arlington Heights Fire Department was also called to the scene and fire personnel requested an under water search, according to the release.
“AHFD activated a MABAS (Mutual Aid Box Alarm System) Division One Dive Team response,” the release states.
Lake Arlington is located midway between Arlington Heights and its northeast neighbor Wheeling.
Divers from the Arlington Heights, Des Plaines, Elk Grove Village, Mount Prospect, Palatine, Schaumburg, Streamwood and Wheeling fire departments responded to the MABAS call, according to the release. In total, 25 chief fire officers, divers and paramedics answered the mutual aid call.
Authorities stated in the release that police closed the adjacent park and people were asked to leave as the search got underway. Arlington Heights and Wheeling officers launched drones to peer over the water, shore line and wooded areas.
The grounds were searched by officers on foot, in squad cars and on motorcycles, the release states.
“Dive team specialists utilized sonar technology that was deployed by a fire boat and supported by scuba divers to search under water.
“At approximately 11:15 A.M., sonar identified an anomaly roughly 30 feet off shore from where the personal belongings were found. Divers investigated the area and located a body,” the release states.
The body was recovered and removed from the water, and paramedics determined that the unidentified man could not be resuscitated.
An autopsy done by the Cook County medical examiner’s office determined that the man died as a result of drowning.
