Police Provide Timeline Details In Drowning Death Of Missing Child

LAKE IN THE HILLS — Police have released additional timeline details in the death of a 7-year-old boy who was found unresponsive in a retention pond last week.

A missing child report was made at about 5:45 p.m. on June 17 after family members reported the child had last been seen around 5:30 p.m. in the 0 to 100 block of Steeplechase Way, Lake in the Hills Police Department Sgt. James Riffe told Patch in an e-mail response.

Riffe said the first officer arrived on scene about three minutes after the initial report was received.

During the search, the child was located in a nearby retention pond at approximately 6:02 p.m. and was removed from the water, authorities said.

The responding officer immediately began life-saving measures, and paramedics from the Huntley Fire Protection District continued resuscitation efforts before transporting the child to Northwestern Medicine Huntley Hospital, where the child was later pronounced dead, according to authorities.

Riffe said it is unknown how long the child had been in the water prior to being found. He also confirmed there is no fencing around the retention pond, which is instead bordered by a berm.

Officials said foul play is not suspected, and the investigation remains ongoing in coordination with the McHenry County Coroner’s Office.

Coroner Update

The McHenry County Coroner's Office was notified by Northwestern Huntley Hospital at approximately 7 p.m. on June 17 regarding the death of the 7-year-old boy who had been transported from Lake in the Hills and pronounced deceased at the hospital, according to the coroner's office.

An autopsy performed found the preliminary findings listing drowning as the cause of death. Toxicology testing is pending, coroner's office officials said.

The identity of the boy has not yet been released, and an investigation into the death is ongoing.