The search for the missing New Berlin man, Ben Oberto, has ended in a tragic discovery. Illinois State Police confirmed that Oberto, 45, was found deceased inside his vehicle after it crashed in the Chicago area. The car was located in a creek at the bottom of an embankment on the curve of the Interstate 90 eastbound ramp to Interstate 294 northbound, as reported by ABC7 Chicago.
According to the FOX6, Oberto went missing on Thursday, Nov. 14, after leaving a work appointment in Crystal Lake, Illinois. The New Berlin Police Department, in collaboration, with Illinois police led the search leading to the discovery. Ben Oberto's vehicle was found overturned and partially submerged by Rosemont Police divers.
Details on the accident are scarce, but it is currently under investigation by the Illinois State Police. Ben Oberto, who was originally from New Berlin, had informed his wife that he would return home in time to tuck their 3-year-old son into bed after his appointment. This promise marked the last communication he had with his family before his untimely passing, as per WISN 12 News.
Laura Leatherberry, Ben Oberto's wife, spoke about the distressing time after her husband failed to return home. "I called my husband and it went straight to voicemail. I just knew something was off," Leatherberry told WISN 12 News. The incident has left the New Berlin family in turmoil, with their world "turned upside down," as a result of the tragic accident.
The authorities have not released additional information regarding the crash. The family of Ben Oberto and the community have been left seeking answers as to how the devoted father and husband's journey ended so far from home.
