Sheriff’s deputies and canine Dax located and rescued a missing suicidal man who was found lying helplessly in a marsh and unable to move at Grant Woods Forest Preserve near Ingleside.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded Tuesday morning to a residence in unincorporated Lake Villa for a woman who was concerned about her fiancรฉ.
The woman reported to deputies that her fiancรฉ made suicidal statements and appeared to be in a state of serious depression.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office said that information was gathered indicating the man was possibly on foot in the Grant Woods Forest Preserve.
Several sheriff’s deputies and canine Dax were called in to assist in the search for the man.
Dax followed the scent of the man from his home into the forest preserve. Dax tracked into a very swampy area, which was nearly impassable, the sheriff’s office said.
Dax located the man, who was heavily intoxicated laying helpless in the marsh and unable to move.
The deputies on the scene were able to extract the man from the swamp and get him to a waiting ambulance.
The man was transported to an area hospital for a physical and mental health evaluation.
“If it werenโt for the sheriffโs deputies diligently searching for this man and K9 Dax being able to track his scent, this could have been a much different ending,” the sheriff’s office said.