CHESTERTON, Ind. — A Norfolk Southern train ground to an unexpected halt last Thursday night in downtown Chesterton, as a heart-wrenching suicide investigation began.
According to police reports it began at 6 p.m. in Rolling Prairie when a witness alerted authorities after reportedly spotting a woman precariously over the bridge in the 4200 block of U.S. Highway 20, which spans the Norfolk Southern tracks. Local police’s subsequent search led them to a lone purse and cell phone atop the bridge and two shoes, separated by a chilling distance, along the tracks below.
Officers from the Chesterton, Norfolk Southern, and Westville PD, after halting the train at the South Calumet Road grade-crossing, found the deceased woman on one of the rail cars.
The scene drew support from the Porter County Coroner’s Office. Chesterton Police Department’s Chief Tim Richardson conveyed deep condolences to the family and implored, “If you are experiencing difficulties, know that there is help. If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, please contact the Indiana 988 Suicide & Crisis Hotline, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 800-273-8255 (TALK), or your local police department.”
