The coroner says an autopsy showed a 7-year-old boy likely drowned after he went missing before being found unresponsive in a pond in Lake in the Hills Wednesday evening.
The Lake in the Hills Police Department responded just before 6 p.m. Wednesday to a residence on Steeplechase Way in Lake in the Hills for a missing person.
Police officials said a 7-year-old child had gone missing and was last seen by family members a short time earlier.
A search effort began and an officer spotted the child in a nearby retention pond.
The Huntley Fire Protection District responded to the scene with a water rescue response to the area of Warwick Lane and Steeplechase Way.
The officer rescued the child from the water before fire crews arrived, police officials said.
The child was unresponsive and officers began lifesaving efforts on the victim.
Paramedics arrived minutes later and continued lifesaving measures before rushing the child to the hospital.
Police said the child was pronounced dead at Northwestern Medicine Huntley Hospital shortly after arriving.
The McHenry County Coroner’s Office responded to the hospital to take possession of the boy for an autopsy.
McHenry County Coroner Dr. Michael Rein said Thursday that an autopsy was performed and the preliminary findings show drowning as the cause of death. Toxicology testing is pending.
The juvenile’s identity has not been released yet.
Police officials said no foul play is suspected but the incident remains under investigation by the Lake in the Hills Police Department and McHenry County Coroner’s Office.