The body of a missing Illinois special education teacher has been recovered from Lake Michigan, bringing a tragic end to a ten-day search that gripped the local community.
A Community's Hopes Dashed
Linda Brown, 53, a teacher at Robert Healy Elementary in Chicago, was found in the 31st Street Harbor on Monday, near the city's South Side. Her family confirmed the identification, stating this was not the outcome for which they had hoped and prayed.
The teacher vanished after spending a quiet evening at home with her husband, Antwon, on January 2. The couple watched a film together before she retired to bed early. She was last seen the following day driving in the 4500 block of South King Drive in the Bronzeville area.
Her blue 2021 Honda Civic was later discovered on January 3 near East 35th Street and South Lake Park Avenue, close to where her body was ultimately found. Disturbing surveillance footage showed Brown parking her car and walking across a bridge towards the lake at 3am on the day she disappeared.
A Dedicated Educator Remembered
In a heartfelt statement, Brown's family expressed gratitude for the public support during their ordeal. "We are grateful that she has been found and can now be brought home to our family," they said, while requesting privacy to grieve and honour her life.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson paid tribute, noting Brown's "immeasurable impact on countless young lives" and her vital role in the Bridgeport community. Colleagues and family described her as a consistently positive and dedicated professional. Her sister, Lisa Quintana, told local media that Brown had "never missed a day of work," making her sudden disappearance profoundly uncharacteristic.
Prior to her disappearance, Brown had been on a leave of absence from her teaching role and was scheduled to return on January 6. She had been facing mental health challenges and was receiving professional support.
A Family's Desperate Search
Her husband, Antwon, initially did not suspect anything was amiss, believing she might have gone to an acupuncture appointment. However, alarm grew when she missed the appointment and stopped responding to calls and messages, prompting the family to report her missing.
During the search, a distraught Antwon told reporters, "I'm broke down... I don't know what to do." He described his wife as being in constant contact, making her silence especially alarming.
Brown's niece, Jen River, said Antwon was "beside himself" and devastated by the loss. "He just lost the love of his life," River stated, adding that the family had truly believed they would bring Linda home alive.
The Chicago Police Department's marine units recovered the body. The Cook County Medical Examiner's office has yet to determine an official cause of death. The investigation into the precise circumstances surrounding her death continues.
