Authorities identify Joliet man who drowned in Chain O' Lakes

McHenry County authorities on Tuesday identified Michael Jacobs, 43, as the Joliet man who drowned Friday in the Chain O' Lakes while assisting a girl who was struggling to swim.

According to reports, Lake County Sheriff's Marine Unit deputies were dispatched about 3:40 p.m. to Fox Lake for a possible drowning. When deputies arrived, Jacobs had been pulled from the lake by a passing boater and driven to a marina near Antioch.

Authorities said Jacobs, his girlfriend and her three daughters were in a rented boat on the lake when one of the girls started having trouble swimming. Jacobs jumped in to help her, according to police.

Jacobs went under water and did not resurface. He was located submerged approximately 15 minutes later.

The girl who was having trouble swimming was uninjured, authorities said.

Coroner Michael Rein said his office performed an autopsy Tuesday but is awaiting toxicology reports before determining a cause of death.