The body of Linda Brown, a 53-year-old special education teacher from Chicago, was recovered from Lake Michigan on Monday, ending a 10-day search that began when she vanished on her way to an acupuncture appointment.
Chicago police confirmed that the marine unit retrieved a woman's body just before noon from the 31st Street Harbor. The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office later identified the remains as Brown, who taught at Robert Healy Elementary School in Bridgeport. A death investigation is ongoing pending autopsy results.
Brown was last seen on January 3 near her home in the 4500 block of South Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. Her blue Honda Civic was later found near 35th Street and Lake Park Avenue. Surveillance footage showed her parking the car around 3 a.m., exiting alone, and walking toward a pedestrian bridge leading to the lakefront.
Her husband, Antwon Brown, described her disappearance as out of character, noting she had been on a leave of absence from teaching to address mental health issues, including anxiety and panic attacks. He reported her missing after she failed to attend her acupuncture appointment and could not be reached.
In a statement, Brown's family expressed gratitude for the community's support during the search, saying they were grateful she had been found and could be brought home. Her niece, Jen River, confirmed that Antwon Brown was not a suspect, addressing online rumours.
Former student Rene Lopez remembered Brown as a dedicated educator who created a safe space in her classroom and inspired him to become the first in his family to graduate. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson also issued a statement expressing sadness over her passing.
