Missing woman, 18, found dead in Chicago Lawn backyard

A woman who was found dead Friday morning in the Chicago Lawn neighborhood on the Southwest Side had been reported missing a day earlier from the Far South Side, according to authorities.

About 7 a.m. on Friday, officers responded to a 911 call from a resident who saw a woman’s body in their backyard. Police found 18-year-old Karalynn McNicholas, who was initially thought to be between 30 and 40 years old, unresponsive in the 6100 block of South Maplewood. She was pronounced dead at the scene, Chicago Police said. She had no visible signs of trauma.

Authorities on Saturday identified the woman as McNicholas, who was last seen about 8:30 p.m. Thursday, leaving the area of 111th Street and Central Park Avenue. She was reported missing Saturday morning, according to police.

Chicago police

Police announced on Saturday afternoon that McNicholas had been located, but didn’t clarify she had been found dead.

An autopsy Saturday didn’t rule on the cause and manner of death pending further investigation, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Area Central detectives are investigating the death.