Lake County Sheriff’s Canine Lux made a Christmas evening save after tracking down a woman who went missing while in mental distress near Barrington, sheriff’s officials said.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office said Canine Lux and sheriff’s deputies made a “Christmas night save” on Thursday.
The sheriff’s office responded around 10:30 p.m. Thursday to a family’s home in unincorporated Barrington for a report of a missing person.
An adult female left the family’s house on foot in the area of Route 59 and Cuba Road after becoming erratic and having a history of making comments about self-harm.
The woman was not dressed properly for the cold weather and was actively evading attempts to locate her, the sheriff’s office said.
Canine Lux was deployed to search for the woman and conducted a lengthy search, which ended up being successful.
Lux, whose handler is Deputy John Forlenza, located the woman hiding under a bush behind a home, the sheriff’s office said.
An ambulance was called and paramedics transported her to an area hospital to receive care and mental health support.
Lux is a direct offspring of the late Canine Dax, a highly decorated member of the sheriff’s canine unit.
Dax was injured on March 3, 2024, while apprehending a person who had committed several felonies and was fleeing near Zion.
Dax injured his neck and spine, which resulted in temporary paralysis in his hindquarters.
He was later diagnosed with cervical and thoracolumbar Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD) and lumbosacral IVDD exacerbated during the apprehension.
The severity of his injuries led to his early retirement and he died on April 12, 2024. It was announced in February that Lux would be joining the sheriff’s office and following in his father’s footsteps.