Lake Forest woman found in Lake Michigan drowned: coroner

(LAKE FOREST) An autopsy on a woman who was pulled from Lake Michigan Thursday in Lake Forest found she drowned, but the investigation into the manner of her death is ongoing.

Rebecca Long, 32, of Lake Forest, was recovered near a beach in her hometown a few minutes before 11 a.m. Thursday after authorities responded to a swimmer in distress, according to police and the Lake County Coroner’s office.

An autopsy found that Long drowned, according to the coroner’s office, but the manner of death (suicide or accident) is pending police investigation and further lab results, according to the coroner’s office.

On Friday, police confirmed that Long was wearing orange running sunglasses, black running pants, a black T-shirt, running shoes and a black fleece jacket.

The U.S. Coast Guard and as many as 20 local fire departments responded to Forest Park beach after pedestrians reported seeing a swimmer in distress off the boat ramp side of the beach, south of the public beach.

According to Walldorf, police responded to the call at 8:21 a.m. At one point, a 25-foot Coast Guard response boat and at least six other dive boats were in the water about 20 yards off the boat launch.

Lake Forest police ask anyone who was at Forest Park Beach the morning of May 8 and may have seen the victim to contact them at 847-234-2601.