Sept. 14--A comprehensive search of the Garfield Park Lagoon that included draining it of over 1 million gallons of water has been completed without finding any additional remains of the toddler who had spurred the search, Chicago police officials said Sunday.
Officials began the search after remains of a toddler were discovered in the lagoon Sept. 5. A foot belonging to a child was found floating in the water, leading to an initial search that later found the other foot. Officials later recovered the child's hands and head.
Investigators are currently determining if various items found in the lagoon are connected to the investigation, according to police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi. He would not elaborate on what the items were, saying only that they may be relevant to the police investigation. Searches at other locations for more remains also came up empty, police said.
More than 1 million gallons of water were removed from the west side of the lagoon and officials set up a makeshift dam to allow investigators to comb through its muddy bottom, Guglielmi said. The water is expected to be replaced Monday.
Investigators focused on the west side of the lagoon because cadaver dogs and aircraft with sonar technology found leads there.
Police are continuing to review missing person cases involving children and are working with the FBI and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
DNA and forensic tests are being conducted by the Cook County medical examiner's office to locate family of the child.
Police have received many tips from the public and are reviewing reports of recently publicized missing children's cases from Arkansas and Indiana. Police said they had received about 150 calls from the community, many of them mentioning a missing 2-year-old boy in Gary who disappeared with his aunt this summer. Police have been in contact with Gary authorities and have not ruled anything out.
While investigators review those cases, they ask the public to contact them with tips and ask them to be conscious of situations such as "the sudden disappearance of a neighborhood child, friend or family member or any unusual domestic activity or abrupt absences."
The first remains were discovered Sept. 5 when a woman called 911 to report a foot floating in the lagoon. It turned out to be the left foot of the child, according to authorities.
Police later found the child's other foot and both hands toward the north end of the lagoon about 25 yards away. A 20-pound weight was found nearby, authorities said. Late the next day, the child's head was discovered near where other body parts were found.
Officials said the remains are likely that of an African-American boy but have cautioned that they cannot rule out a "mixed-race heritage" or the victim being a girl. The age could range from 8 months to 4 years old, but is most likely 2 or 3. After the head was found, a sketch was made of the child.
"The hair was short, curly and black in color; the eyes were brown; and the earlobes were not pierced, suggesting the child may be male (but female gender cannot be ruled out at present)," according to a statement from police and the medical examiner's office.
The drawing was done by sketch artist Tim McPhillips of the Cook County sheriff's office. McPhillips said he relied on photos, X-rays and a firsthand look at remains to make the drawing "as accurate as I can get it."
