Girl, 12, dies after snow fort collapses in Arlington Heights

A girl died and another was injured Sunday afternoon when a makeshift snow fort collapsed on top of them in northwest suburban Arlington Heights, police said.

The girls, ages 9 and 12, were attending services with their families at Rothem Church at 106 E. College Dr. when the girls went outside at 2:40 p.m. to play in a nearby snowbank, Arlington Heights police said in a statement.

A makeshift fort the girls had built then collapsed on top of them, police said. The families of the girls began looking for them about an hour later and found them under the snow, Arlington Heights Police Sergeant Charles Buczynski said. It was unknown how long the girls were trapped.

The girls were taken to Northwest Community Hospital, where the 12-yearold was pronounced dead at 4:30 p.m., police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office said. The 9-year-old was treated for hypothermia and was held for observation, police said. She was expected to survive, Buczynski said.

“This appears to be a tragic accident,” the department said in a statement.

David Struett

Morton Grove death ‘suspicious’

Authorities on Sunday announced they were investigating a “suspicious” death in suburban Morton Grove.

The body was found Sunday afternoon between houses in the 8800 bock of Oleander Avenue, less than a block from the Notre Dame High School for Boys, Morton Grove police said in a statement.

The person, whose identity was not released, was pronounced dead at 3:45 p.m., according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. Police said there was no danger to residents in the area.

David Struett

10-below wind chill possible

Martin Luther King Jr. Day will bring partly sunny skies and a blustery wind chill that could reach minus 10 degrees early morning in Cook County, the National Weather Service is warning. Expect temperatures to rise as high as 14 to 18 degrees during the daytime Monday. More snow is forecast for Tuesday. Temperatures could reach the lower 30s before reverting to the teens the rest of the week.

Sun-Times Wire