A search for a missing 7-year-old in Lake in the Hills ended in tragedy Thursday evening after the child was pulled unresponsive from a nearby retention pond and later died at Northwestern Medicine Huntley Hospital, authorities said. Huntley-area first responders performed life-saving measures at the scene before rushing the child to the hospital.
Lake in the Hills police told ABC7 Chicago the child was reported missing from Steeplechase Way at about 6 p.m. and was then found unresponsive in a nearby retention pond. The department said the child's identity has not been released and that foul play is not suspected at this time.
Another suburban pond death this month
This incident comes amid a string of neighborhood pond tragedies in the suburbs. Earlier this month, an 8-year-old boy who had been reported missing was found dead in a pond in Wheeling, according to NBC Chicago.
Small retention basins can be deceptively dangerous for children, as the CDC notes that drowning is a leading cause of death for kids ages 1–4 and recommends barriers, constant supervision and age-appropriate swim instruction to reduce risk.
Investigation ongoing
Lake in the Hills police told ABC7 Chicago that the investigation is ongoing but, at this stage, foul play is not suspected and no identifying information about the child has been released. Authorities did not immediately provide additional details about the circumstances of the disappearance or the specific pond where the child was located.
Northwestern Medicine's website lists its Huntley campus at 10400 Haligus Road, the hospital named in police reports, and the investigation remains active. Police said they will release further information when it becomes available.
