Autopsy: 18-year-old hanged herself on Morton Grove playground

A woman hanged herself on the playground of a special needs school Thursday in north suburban Morton Grove, an autopsy has found.

Zehra B. Kabalazeda, 18, was pronounced dead at 6:55 a.m. at the Molloy Education Center at 8701 N. Menard Ave. in Morton Grove, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. An autopsy Friday found she died of asphyxia by hanging in a suicide.

Morton Grove police said officers found her about 6:15 a.m. at the school’s playground. Principal Christine Perry said no students were at the school at the time and declined to comment further.

Kabalazeda lived in the 4700 block of South Park Avenue in Morton Grove.