Year In Review: Top Grayslake Stories From 2019

GRAYSLAKE, IL — As the end of the year nears, it is a good time to look back and reflect on the stories that show us what matters most to those living in our town. Some of those stories made us laugh, some made us cry and others made us shake our heads in disgust.

Either way, 2019 is nearly behind us and before we ring in another new year, let us provide you with a glimpse at the Grayslake Patch stories from 2019 that got the most attention from our readers.

• Teen Missing in Lake MI Attended Grayslake North— Almost a year ago, a 16-year-old boy jumped into Lake Michigan to try and save a friend. The friend survived but the teen, a Grayslake North High School student, did not. The body of Matthew Garcia was recovered in April. The coverage of the tragedy were among the most-read stories of 2019.
• Lake Villa Father Bites Baby Girl For 'Not Sleeping': Sheriff — A Lake Villa Township man was charged with aggravated battery to a child earlier this year after an investigation revealed he bit his 10-month-old daughter after becoming angry when she wouldn't go to sleep. The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services reported the possible child abuse to the Lake County Sheriff's Office in March and authorities followed up with an investigation. Family members told detectives they evaluated child, and found what looked like bite marks and bruises on her face and arms, according to the sheriff's office. Daniel K. Martin, 31, was charged with aggravated battery to a child and domestic battery.
• Cows Caught Wandering Around Lake Villa Neighborhood: Sheriff — In May, the Lake County Sheriff's Office responded to an unusual call when a pair of Scottish Highland cows — bulls, to be more precise — were spotted wandering in a neighborhood in Lake Villa. The long-haired cattle were later returned to their owners. The wily cows didn't stay penned up for long, escaping again in July. They were found a short time later "wanting to cool off" in a pond in Lake County, authorities said.
• Woman, Boy Dead; Girl Critical; 3 More Injured: Lake Co. Crash — In recent weeks, a tragic crash near Lake Villa claimed the life of a 64-year-old Spring Grove woman and a 1-year-old boy. The three-vehicle crash happened when a 2014 Ford pickup truck pulling a trailer attempted to merge from the shoulder of Route 59 near West Beach Avenue onto the roadway and was hit by a northbound 2017 Nissan SUV, authorities said. Nissan rolled over and was then hit by a 2007 Hyundai minivan that was headed south on Route 59 at the time of the collision in unincorporated Lake Villa.
• DCFS Fields Abuse Allegations At Gages Lake School: Report — Reports of abuse and the use of seclusion spaces, which are rooms where students are taken for punishment and sometimes left for long periods of time, have been an area of concern at Gages Lake School, according to an investigation and article published ProPublica and the Chicago Tribune this year. Since mid-May, there have been 21 abuse investigations opened by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services involving students at Gages Lake School, which is a public school that offers programs for children in preschool through sixth grade with significant emotional and behavioral needs.
• Former Guardian of Teen Accused of Pimping Her Out: Police — A 33-year-old Round Lake Beach was charged with sex trafficking after she pimped out a teen who she once had legal guardianship over, authorities said. Sheila E. Johnston, 33, of the 1200 block of Sunset Drive, was allegedly nabbed by detectives after responding to an advertisement she placed on a website, offering the juvenile to participate in sex acts for money.
• $45M Awarded to Family of Mom Killed In Crash —The family of a 24-year-old Round Lake Beach woman, who was killed in a 2012 crash, was awarded a $45 million in a lawsuit — which is one of the largest Lake County courts' history for a wrongful death case. Araceli Villasenor died on Nov. 21, 2012, after Mark Oelerich crossed the center line on Cedar Lake Road near Route 120 in Round Lake. Authorities say Oelerich purposely swerved into Villasenior's lane after receiving signs from God that he was invincible, according to media reports.

Thanks for following along this year, Grayslake Patch readers. Have a Happy New Year.