Death of Streamwood woman appears to be accidental

A Streamwood woman found dead in a forest preserve off Barrington Road last week died of the cold and heart disease, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

She has been identified as Linda DeLeon, 61, of Streamwood. Officials are expected to classify the manner of death as accidental, Streamwood Deputy Police Chief Jim Keegan said Monday.

The body was found at 2:45 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 21, in the Barrington Road Pond, which is a quarter mile south of Higgins Road along Barrington Road, Cook County Forest Preserve District spokesman Steve Mayberry said.

DeLeon hadn't been seen by her family since Jan. 11, when she was discharged from St. Alexius Medical Center in Hoffman Estates, where she was being treated for depression-related symptoms, Keegan said. It wasn't unusual for DeLeon to go days without contacting her family, so they didn't report her missing until Jan. 20.

Streamwood police asked for the forest preserve district police's assistance in locating the woman. Her body was discovered in a wooded area, about 150 feet west of Barrington Road.

"It appears as though she took a break from a walk and then succumbed to the elements," Keegan said. "It's an unfortunate set of circumstances."

Keegan said DeLeon had been dead for a number of days and that there were no obvious signs of foul play or suicide.

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<li><a href="/story/?id=353609">Streamwood woman found dead in forest preserve <span class="date">[01/24/10]</span></a></li>

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