The body of a woman discovered in Lake Michigan waters early Wednesday morning near Northwestern University’s Evanston campus has been identified as a current student, according to an Evanston Police Department news release.
The Cook County medical examiner’s office confirmed the student’s identity as 19-year-old Saba Hani Alkaabi, and said an autopsy was scheduled for Thursday.
Evanston police and fire department personnel responded to the university around 7 a.m. Wednesday morning after a 911 caller reported witnessing a person floating in the water near 70 Arts Circle Drive, police said.
First responders pulled the unresponsive person from the water near the university’s southern lakefill area and performed CPR before taking the student aboard a Marine 21 rescue boat to the Church Street boat ramp, according to the news release.
The woman was taken to a local hospital, where she was later pronounced dead, per police.
Officers said they worked together with Northwestern University police to identify the woman as a current Northwestern student who is not from the Evanston area.
“Our thoughts are with the student’s family and friends,” said Eliza Larson, associate director of communications and global marketing at Northwestern. “The University is providing support services to impacted community members. The Evanston Police Department is handling the investigation.”
Police engaged a drone to search the southwest and southeast portions of the university’s campus and lakefront Wednesday morning as part of their pending investigation, the news release said.
According to Evanston police, the death remains under investigation, but does not pose a danger to Northwestern or the City of Evanston.
They warned that Lake Michigan can be more dangerous than it looks.
“Evanston Police urge people to follow posted warnings, check lake conditions before approaching the water and follow instructions from city or university officials to stay out of the water and off breakwalls and rocks,” the news release said.