The body of a Chicago Public Schools teacher who had been missing for more than a week was pulled from Lake Michigan on Monday, authorities confirmed.

Police recovered the body of a woman from the water in the 3100 block of South Lake Shore Drive on Chicago’s South Side just before noon, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office and school officials. The woman, identified as 53-year-old Linda Brown, was pronounced dead at the scene at 12:53 p.m.

Brown was a special education teacher at Robert Healy Elementary School in Bridgeport. She had been missing since January 3, Chicago police said. Since her disappearance, family and friends had issued public pleas for her safe return and organized their own search efforts, according to multiple reports.

In the initial missing persons alert, police stated that Brown was last seen near the 4500 block of South Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in the Bronzeville neighborhood. Days later, the alert was updated to say she was sighted in the 3500 block of South Lake Park Avenue, approximately half a mile from where her body was ultimately found.

Police noted Brown may have been in need of immediate medical attention at the time. On Monday, they updated the alert again to confirm that Brown had been located but did not provide additional details.

Robert Healy Elementary Principal Erin Kamradt informed the school community of Brown’s passing in an email. “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 is collaborating with the Chicago Public Schools crisis management unit to offer grief counseling and support to students and staff. Additionally, the campus’ school-based mental health professionals will be available for students needing ongoing assistance.

“We are deeply saddened by this loss,” Kamradt said. “We will do everything we can to help our school community heal.”

Attempts to reach Brown’s family were unsuccessful as of the time of the report. An autopsy has been scheduled for Tuesday.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/12/missing-cps-teacher-lake-michigan/