A body found Wednesday near the west branch of the Dupage River in West Chicago has been confirmed to be an 18-year old woman who was swept way with her dogs.
Following an autopsy, Thursday, the Dupage County Coroner’s office confirmed the body was that of Anna Dejong, an 18-year-old woman with autism who was swept away when flooded waters took over a pedestrian bridge on Friday, May 15th.
Her body was discovered 12 days after crossing a flooded-out bridge with her two dogs at Winfield Mounds Forest Preserve and was swept away by rising waters.
Witnesses tried and failed to pull her out at the time.
Crews worked to search the river shortly after, finding one of Dejong’s dogs, a Chihuahua. The other remains missing. More than 100 volunteers and search and rescue crews searched the river after her disappearance.
The Blackwell Forest Preserve is just under six miles south of Winfield Mounds.
