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Grayslake teen dies week after being shot before house fire

A Grayslake teen has died from injuries suffered last week when he was shot in the head before fire broke out in his home, authorities said Monday.

The 17-year-old boy, whose name has not been disclosed, was pronounced dead at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, Grayslake police said.

He'd been rushed to the hospital Aug. 22 after three Grayslake police officers pulled him from his burning home in the 300 block of Normandy Lane and discovered he was suffering from a gunshot wound to the head.

Police say the boy's grandmother and guardian, Deborah St. Antoine-Browne, 65, killed herself Thursday by jumping off the top floor of the medical center's parking garage after police questioned her about the teen's shooting.

Before taking her own life, police said, St. Antoine-Browne instructed the teenage boy's younger sibling to ingest a bottle of prescription medication. The girl took some of the medication, but then sought medical help in the hospital's emergency department, authorities said.

Police say they are continuing to investigate the circumstances of the boy's shooting and the fire. However, they say they are not seeking any suspects.

"With many interviews to be conducted and a large amount of evidence to process, this case remains open," Grayslake police said in a news release Monday.

On Friday, Grayslake Police Chief Phil Perlini said investigators have theories about what happened but were hoping to speak with the teenage boy to clarify matters. Police did not indicate Monday whether detectives spoke with the boy before he died.

Police would not say last week whether they believed the boy's gunshot wound was self-inflicted.

Officers and firefighters dispatched to the boy's home about 12:30 a.m. Aug. 22 found St. Antoine-Browne and her granddaughter outside the residence, but learned the 17-year-old was trapped inside. Three police officers ran through the smoke without safety equipment to find the boy and pull him from the burning house.

After the fire was extinguished, investigators recovered a .38-caliber pistol, authorities said.

As part of the investigation, police interviewed St. Antoine-Browne at the medical center Thursday. Two hours later, authorities said, she jumped to her death.

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