A quiet retention pond in unincorporated Maine Township turned into the focus of an active death investigation Monday, after a man's body was pulled from the water just outside Des Plaines, authorities said. Deputies with the Cook County Sheriff's police recovered the body and transported it to the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office, where officials are working to identify the man and determine how he died.
The Cook County Sheriff's Office told ABC7 Chicago that deputies were called to the area of Linda and Holly lanes, just outside Des Plaines, around 10:50 a.m. Responding officers found the body of a male of unknown age and had the remains taken to the county medical examiner for further study and identification. According to ABC7, authorities said there was no immediate indication of foul play and urged anyone with information to call detectives at 708-865-4896.
Local fire officials told CBS Chicago that North Maine Fire Protection District crews came upon a decomposing body in a retention pond at 9411 Harrison Street around 12:20 p.m. CBS reported that investigators worked in gas masks and hazardous-material suits because of the body's condition, and that the pond sits between the Illinois State Police Troop 3 headquarters and the Courtyards on the Park apartments. It was not immediately clear how long the body had been in the water or who had first discovered it.
Retention ponds pose hidden hazards in suburbs
Retention and stormwater ponds are a routine part of suburban development, but they can turn deadly. A national analysis found 265 retention-pond deaths in the United States between 2004 and 2020, underscoring the risk posed by murky, unmanaged water, according to a study in PLOS Global Public Health. Local outlets have repeatedly reported recoveries from suburban ponds in recent weeks and months, highlighting how deceptively calm water can conceal tragedy, as seen in prior coverage of a mystery body hauled from office park pond in Elk Grove Village.
Cook County Sheriff's detectives are continuing their investigation and will rely on the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office to determine the man's identity and the cause of death, according to ABC7 Chicago. Anyone with information is asked to contact Cook County detectives at 708-865-4896. Officials have not released the victim's name or additional details while the medical examination remains underway.
