Body of missing kayaker found in Fox River in St. Charles identified as 25-year-old

The body of a kayaker last seen fishing on the Fox River in St. Charles Tuesday night was found Thursday morning by a passerby, according to a news release from the St. Charles Fire Department.

Two adult male kayakers were fishing together just south of Ferson Creek Fen, when one was overturned by the wake of another boat around 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 29, according to officials.

The body was located just before 6 a.m. Thursday, July 31, on the west bank of the Fox River, just south of the Great Western Trail Bridge. The body was recovered from the river and positively identified as the missing kayaker, according to the release.

An autopsy was performed July 31 and the individual was positively identified as 25-year-old Taylor Russell of Hanover Park, according to a news release from the Kane County Coroner’s Office.

The preliminary cause of death was determined to be drowning, but the investigation into the death remains ongoing. Toxicology samples were collected and are being tested at a forensic laboratory, according to the release.

A gofundme.com fundraiser set up by someone described as a family member said Russell was married with three small stepchildren and called him “a steady, loving presence who never hesitated to show up for his family.”

Rescue crews began searching the river at 10 p.m. Tuesday night, led by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the St. Charles Fire Department.

The search lasted nearly 20 hours from Tuesday until 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, and utilized search-and-rescue canines, dive teams with sonar equipment, underwater rovers, and mutual aid from 29 area fire departments, according to the release.

The search was set to resume at 8 a.m. Thursday, but the body was discovered by a civilian who called 9-1-1 at 5:58 a.m., according to the release.

The St. Charles Fire Department concluded the search and recovery operation, but the incident is still under investigation by IDNR Conservation Police and the Kane County Coroner’s Office, according to the release.

“This was a complex operation led by St. Charles Fire Chief Jeremy Mauthe and the St. Charles Fire Department,” Mayor Clint Hull said in the release. “I appreciate their professionalism and the seamless inter-agency cooperation provided by first responder agencies across the region. We extend our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and all who have been affected by this tragic incident.”

St. Charles Fire Chief Jeremy Mauthe thanked the fire departments, police, emergency management, volunteer groups and government agencies that assisted in the search.

“Their expertise, specialized equipment, and dedication were vital to this operation,” Mauthe said in the release.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is urged to contact the IDNR Office of Law Enforcement at 217-782-6431.