Zion, Illinois Tragedy: 15-year-old Ceasia Ketchum Found Unresponsive in Lake Michigan

Today, the Lake County medical examiner identified a 15-year-old girl who tragically lost her life after being found unresponsive and later rescued from the cold waters of Lake Michigan near Zion. The ill-fated incident unfolded on Friday evening at the Illinois Beach State Park, a beloved spot for both locals and tourists alike. The victim has been named as 15-year-old Ceasia Ketchum from Zion.

The Beach Park Fire Department Responds

Friday evening saw the Beach Park Fire Department responding to a distress call around 5:45 p.m. at the Illinois Beach State Park located on 1 Lake Front Drive in unincorporated Zion. The initial report was of a critical water rescue.

Beach Park Fire Department’s Lt. Hopkins reported that upon their arrival, firefighters and paramedics liaised with several witnesses on the scene to identify the location where the victim had last been seen. It was established that a young female swimmer was still missing, submerged in the vast Lake Michigan.

The Recovery Effort

Both Beach Park and Winthrop Harbor fire department members launched an immediate water rescue operation. They conducted a surface scan at the reported last-seen location of the victim. Owing to the severity of the situation, the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) was activated to summon additional fire departments to assist with the operation and expedite the rescue process. Further, multiple rescue boats were deployed for assistance.

Unresponsive Victim Regains Pulse

Lt. Hopkins confirmed that the 15-year-old Ceasia Ketchum was eventually located and recovered from the water by a team of rescue divers and swimmers. The teenager, who was unresponsive, was immediately transported by ambulance to Vista Medical Center East in nearby Waukegan.

On the way to the medical center, the girl showed promising signs of life as she regained a pulse while being transported. She was later shifted to the specialized Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. However, in a tragic turn of events, the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office reported on Saturday morning that the young girl had succumbed in the hospital.