Man drowned in Chicago River near Chinatown

A man who drowned last week after he fell into the Chicago River near the Chinatown neighborhood on the South Side has been identified.

Chicago Fire Department divers responded about 1:20 a.m. Sept. 3 to a report of a man who fell into the river near Cermak Road and Canal Street, fire officials said.

Police said the man fell off the Cermak Road Bridge while trying to a help a 52-year-old woman, who was just under the bridge at the time.

He was pulled from the water about 2:15 a.m., fire officials said.

Burnell L. Roberts, 42, was taken to Mercy Hospital and Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 2:39 a.m., according to police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office. Authorities said he was homeless.

An autopsy performed Monday found he drowned and his death was ruled an accident, the medical examiner’s office said.

Area Central detectives were conducting a death investigation.