Police in Chicago have confirmed the discovery of a child's head, hands, and feet in the waters of Garfield Park. The confirmation comes in the middle of an ongoing investigation, sparked by a 911 call on Saturday reporting a "suspicious object floating in the lagoon." Once a group of police officers arrived at Garfield Park, the suspicious object was revealed to be a toddler's left foot. "Since I've been here, they've pulled two bodies out of the water," resident Connie Mitchell tells ABC7 of her 19 years spent in the area. "Now to know that it's a kid, that's what is sickening and sad."
According to local authorities, the victim is believed to be between two and four years old. "We are not talking of a newborn, and we are not talking about a first grader," Alderman Jason Ervin told reporters. "This is someone who should have been noticed is not around." As noted by NBC5 in Chicago, the identity of the victim remains unknown. Furthermore, investigators are currently unable to confirm whether the parts are from one or multiple victims. However, a single 20-pound weight was also discovered near the same area as the body parts.
Investigators are currently debating whether or not to drain the lagoon entirely, with dozens of officers still combing the area near Garfield Park for additional parts or related evidence. "Garfield Park is the jewel of the West Side, and that someone would bring this type of nonsense to this community is reprehensible," Ervin adds. "This is not a reflection of the West Side of Chicago or the values of the Garfield Park community or the people who live in this city."
