A DeKalb man is dead and a 1-year-old infant is recovering after their vehicle ended up upside down and submerged in a creek Wednesday night. The emergency response became a rescue of its own, with four police officers injured while getting the child out.
Missing-Person Report Led Police To The Creek
DeKalb police received a missing-person report shortly before 10 p.m. after an adult male and infant failed to reach their destination, according to NBC Chicago. A search led officers to an upside-down vehicle in a creek in the 3100 block of South First Street. The man, who was driving, was pronounced dead at the scene, while the infant was airlifted to a Chicago-area hospital and later stabilized. Four officers suffered injuries during the rescue; three were treated and released at the scene, and a fourth was taken to a local hospital for evaluation of non-life-threatening injuries.
Crash Cause Remains Unclear As Investigation Continues
Authorities have not released additional details about what caused the vehicle to leave the roadway or how long it had been in the creek before officers found it. The circumstances surrounding the missing-person report and the crash remain under investigation.
The infant's stabilized condition offers the only encouraging update so far in an incident that began with a worried search and ended in a fatal discovery. Police have not announced any charges or identified the man publicly.
