A quiet Sunday morning on the South Branch of the Chicago River turned grim when police pulled the body of a 20-year-old woman from the water along the border of Pilsen and the South Loop, authorities said. The city's Marine Unit recovered her from the river near the 2200 block of South Grove Street, and she was pronounced dead at the scene. The Cook County medical examiner later identified the victim, and detectives say the case remains under investigation.
According to NBC Chicago, officers responded just before 8 a.m. after a caller reported seeing something in the water near the 2200 block of South Grove. Members of the Chicago Police Department's Marine Unit pulled an unresponsive 20-year-old from the river, and she was pronounced dead on scene. NBC Chicago reports the Cook County Medical Examiner identified her as Maria Jose Casas Fabela, and that detectives are continuing their probe.
Where It Happened And Past Recoveries
The South Branch stretch where the body was found has seen several recoveries this winter, raising fresh questions about river safety and how quickly people call in suspicious sightings. The Chicago Sun-Times reported an earlier February recovery near the 2200 block of South Halsted, documenting another death investigation in the same corridor. A mid-February pull near Ashland also left detectives probing the scene.
Investigation
Authorities have not released a cause or manner of death and have shared few details about how the woman ended up in the river. As NBC Chicago notes, detectives are still investigating, and the Cook County Medical Examiner's office handled the identification. No arrests have been announced, and police have not released any suspect descriptions.
Detectives say the investigation remains active, and officials are expected to release more information once the medical examiner and police complete their work.
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