A frigid stretch of Illinois Route 17 in Kankakee County turned deadly last week when a pickup truck veered off the roadway and into a partially frozen creek, injuring two children and landing the driver in custody on suspicion of driving under the influence. A 10-year-old girl from Pembroke Township died Monday from her injuries, authorities said. Another child from the truck remained in critical condition, and the driver, 58-year-old Phyllis Moses, was arrested on suspicion of DUI after the crash. Deputies said they were sent to the area near the 3700 block of East Illinois Route 17 after an automated crash alert went out in the early morning hours of Feb. 13.
What First Responders Found
When deputies arrived, they found a dark-colored pickup sitting in nearly two feet of partially frozen creek water with Moses and two young children still inside, according to NBC Chicago. Emergency crews pulled all three occupants from the vehicle and rushed the children to Chicago-area hospitals, where both were initially listed in critical condition. Authorities said the icy water and overnight temperatures made the rescue especially dangerous for everyone involved.
Victim Identified
The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office later identified the girl who died as 10-year-old Ombre Mangram of Pembroke Township. Officials said she died at Comer Children's Hospital, according to Patch. The condition of the second child was not immediately available. Patch reported that investigators were still working to determine how the truck left the roadway and ended up in the creek.
In a statement, the Kankakee County Sheriff's Office called the crash "especially concerning" because of the risks posed by cold water and overnight temperatures, as reported by NBC Chicago. The sheriff's office added that deputies were grateful for the rapid notification that allowed first responders to reach the scene as quickly as they did.
Phone Crash Alert Helped Get Help To The Scene
Deputies said they were dispatched after receiving an automated crash alert from an iPhone, a detail that became a key part of the early investigation. ABC7 Chicago reported that the alert sent first responders to the 3700 block of East Illinois Route 17. Apple's support pages state that the Crash Detection feature on recent iPhone and Apple Watch models is designed to identify severe car crashes and can automatically contact emergency services if the user does not respond. The system can play a recorded message and share the device's coordinates with responders, according to Apple Support.
Why Cold Water Complicates Rescues
Partially frozen creek water significantly increases the risk of cold-water shock and rapid incapacitation, which can trigger involuntary gasping and loss of muscle control within minutes, according to cold-water safety guidance. That initial shock, followed by swim failure and hypothermia, makes it far more difficult for people in the water to save themselves and for bystanders to help without flotation gear and rapid medical care, Washington State Parks notes.
Charges And Next Steps
Moses was taken to a hospital after the crash and later arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, the sheriff's office said, according to ABC7 Chicago. It was not immediately known whether prosecutors would file additional charges. Local reporters say the investigation remains active and that they have contacted the Kankakee County State's Attorney's Office for comment. Patch reported that the office had not released further details as of Tuesday.
The sheriff's office said the incident is a stark reminder of how dangerous winter water can be and credited the automated alert system with speeding up the response, Patch reported. Authorities asked anyone with information about the crash to contact the Kankakee County Sheriff's Office as the investigation continues.
