Authorities investigate whether body recovered Thursday is that of missing Grayslake teen
The Lake County Coroner's Office is investigating whether a body recovered from Lake Michigan near Waukegan North Harbor Thursday morning is that of a Grayslake North High School student who went missing nearby in January.
Lake County Sheriff's deputies responded to the harbor about 8:30 a.m. after receiving reports that a body had been discovered near a pier.
Coroner Howard Cooper said investigators are exploring all possibilities, including whether the body is that of Matthew "Mateo" Garcia, 16, of Grayslake.
The Grayslake North student went missing about 4:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 18, after jumping into the lake to help someone who had slipped off a pier at the nearby Stiner Pavilion. The search for his body, which had to be postponed several times because of icy conditions on the lake, concluded unsuccessfully March 26.
The Lake County Sheriff's Office is continuing to investigate at the scene, authorities said.
Cooper said Thursday afternoon that his office likely will announce the identity of the body late Friday or Saturday.
• Daily Herald staff writer Lee Filas contributed to this story