The body of a Chicago Public Schools teacher who had been missing for more than a week was pulled from Lake Michigan on Monday, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office and school officials.
Police recovered the body of a woman from the water in the 3100 block of South Lake Shore Drive on the city’s South Side just before noon, authorities said. The woman, identified as 53-year-old Linda Brown, was pronounced dead on the scene at 12:53 p.m., according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
Brown, a special education teacher at Robert Healy Elementary School in Bridgeport, had been missing since Jan. 3, Chicago police said. Since her disappearance, family and friends had been putting out public pleas for her safe return and launching their own search, according to several published reports.
In their initial missing persons alert for Brown, police said she was last seen around the 4500 block of South Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in Bronzeville. Days later, police updated the alert saying Brown was seen in the 3500 block of South Lake Park Avenue, about half a mile from where her body was recovered Monday. Police stated that she may have been in need of immediate medical attention.
Police again updated the alert for Brown Monday stating that she had been located but provided no further details.
Robert Healy Principal Erin Kamradt notified the school of Brown’s death in an email to the campus community.
“Our thoughts are with her family during this difficult time,” Kamradt wrote. “We know that this loss will raise many emotions, concerns, and questions for our entire school, especially our students.”
The school was working with CPS’ crisis management unit to provide grief counseling and support to students and staff, Kamradt said, adding that the campus’ own school-based mental health professionals would also be available for students who need ongoing services.
“We are deeply saddened by this loss,” Kamradt wrote, “and will do everything we can to help our school community heal.”
Attempts to reach Brown’s family were unsuccessful.
An autopsy was scheduled for Tuesday.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/12/missing-cps-teacher-lake-michigan/
