Man Drowns While Trying To Save Girl In Chain O' Lakes: Police

Grayslake IL

09 August, 2021

4:02 PM

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LAKE COUNTY, IL —A 43-year-old Joliet man has died after he jumped into the Chain O' Lakes to help a child who was struggling in the water. The man, who has not yet been identified, went under water and never resurfaced, authorities said Monday. The Lake County Sheriff's Office was first called to a marina in the 38700 block of North Broadway Drive at about 3:40 p.m. Friday after a boater pulled the man from the water and brought him to shore, according to a news release from the sheriff's office. An investigation revealed the man, his girlfriend and the girlfriend's three daughters were on a boat, which they'd rented from a rental company and had anchored in Columbia Bay near Fox Lake on Friday afternoon. The girls were swimming in the water when one of the girls started struggling in the water, according to the news release. The Joliet man jumped in to help the girl. While trying to help her, he went under water and did not come back up, authorities said. The boater found him about 15 minutes later. The man was taken to Northwestern Medical Center in McHenry where he later died. The girl was able to safely get back to the boat and was not injured in the incident, police said Monday. Police say the incident appears to be a tragic accident but detectives are continuing to investigate the drowning.