Death of Man Whose Body Found in Palos Park Ruled Accidental

The death of a man whose body was found in a Palos Park retention pond has been ruled accidental.

John Cunningham Jr., 27, had been missing for more than two months when his body was discovered died of drowning and hypothermia due to cold exposure, Tribune Media Group reports. The remains were spottedin a gated Palos Park subdivision by some children playing hockey on a retention pond.

His death marks the 23rd cold-related instance this winter.

Cunningham disappeared from his parents home in Palos Park on Oct. 30, 2014. He was the subject of an extensive air and ground search in the days following his disappearance. Private investigator Paul Ciolino said at the time his body was found that he believed Cunningham Jr., who resided in Chicago’s North Side Lake View neighborhood at the time of his disappearance, may have possibly died of exposure after leaving his parents’ home in a distraught state wearing neither shoes nor jacket.

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