Kankakee, IL – A 6-year-old boy tragically drowned after falling off a dock into the Kankakee River near the Kankakee Boat Club on July 16.
According to a press release from the Kankakee Fire Department, the incident occurred at approximately 5:21 p.m., and the Kankakee County Coroner’s Office was notified shortly thereafter. The coroner’s office responded and pronounced the boy deceased at the scene at 5:38 p.m. His identity has not been released.
The preliminary investigation revealed that the child was playing near the dock when he accidentally fell into the river. Despite rescue efforts, he could not be saved. An autopsy performed on July 17 confirmed that the cause of death was drowning.
Authorities, including the Kankakee County Coroner’s Office and Illinois State Police Troop 5, continue to investigate the incident. This marks the second drowning fatality in Kankakee County this year.
