Body found in DeKalb pond after hourslong water rescue effort

After a four-hour water rescue effort by dozens of first responders from across the region, emergency divers recovered a body in a pond in DeKalb late Sunday night, Acting Fire Chief Luke Howieson said.

Crews with the DeKalb Fire Department led a multi-agency diving effort for hours Sunday at a large pond on private property along Ridge Drive, Howieson said.

DeKalb police and firefighters responded to a 6 p.m. 911 call for a water rescue. Divers recovered a body from the pond shortly before 10 p.m., Howieson said.

Authorities have not identified the deceased.

“It wasn’t the outcome we were looking for,” Howieson said.

He thanked the substantial effort by a large number of first responders from across DeKalb County and the northern Illinois region. Agencies provided drones, divers and boats, ambulances and fire trucks, and other technology so authorities could continue searching even after the sun set.

“We wanted those resources there to obviously give it [the search] its best shot,” Howieson said.

The apparent drowning remains under investigation by the DeKalb Police Department and DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office.

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DeKalb firefighters are hoisted into the air on a ladder truck to help provide light to emergency divers undertaking a water rescue on Sunday, July 27, 2025, in the 600 block of Ridge Drive in DeKalb. (Kelsey Rettke)

DeKalb police and firefighters from the department’s Fire Station No. 3 off nearby Dresser Road were the first to arrive minutes after the 911 call.

They immediately got in the water to begin searching, Howieson said. The fire chief soon called every on-shift DeKalb firefighter from all four department stations to the street.

Nearby agencies like Malta meanwhile manned the DeKalb fire stations, responding to other 911 calls so crews could keep looking.

“Obviously it’s a challenging incident and complex and it requires varied resources with multiple agencies,” Howieson said.

Authorities for hours Sunday blocked off a portion of the 600 block of Ridge Drive to motorists, though more than a dozen passersby stood vigil throughout the humid evening and watched. Ridge Drive was blocked from Normal Road to Pickwick Lane.

Emergency vehicles cleared the area about 11 p.m. Sunday.

Divers entered the pond in shifts, Howieson said. At one point there were 11 divers on scene. By 9:30 p.m., it was 18. At another point, three divers and four small pontoon-style boats searched the water.

Divers also came from Kane County, including from Elgin, Carpentersville, Aurora, and St. Charles, among others.

“We appreciate the working relationship we have with all those agencies to support each other in a challenging incident like this,” Howieson said.

The pond was not visible by onlookers from the street. But firefighters could be seen donning gear to search. As the sun set, a DeKalb ladder truck lifted crews above the water to help shine a light for divers.

Howieson said divers also used sonar technology to help them see underwater. Drones with infrared technology from the DeKalb Police Department and the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office were flown up high to assist and provide light.

This story was updated at 12:05 a.m. July 28, 2025. More updates could occur.