Sheriff’s K-9 team saves woman’s life near Mundelein

MUNDELEIN – The Lake County Sheriff’s Office is crediting K-9 Dax with saving an unconscious woman’s life on Nov. 13 near Mundelein.

About 8:35 p.m., sheriff’s deputies were called to a home near Mundelein for a report of a missing person. They learned an adult woman had left the home about 6 p.m., according to a news release.

The woman was in mental distress and had left on foot without proper clothing for the weather, police said. She left behind her belongings, including her cellphone.

Several family members and friends who were contacted said they had not seen the woman or knew where she was, police said.

Deputy John Forlenza and his partner K-9 Dax were called to the scene. They began tracking the woman from the home. Dax quickly found the woman about 500 feet from the home in a wooded area about 75 feet from a walking path.

The woman was unconscious and likely suffering from hypothermia, police said. She was taken to an area hospital, where she is expected to recover. Foul play is not suspected, police said.

“Every day I continue being impressed by the success of our K-9 teams,” Sheriff John Idleburg said in the release. “They save lives every year, which is exactly why we increased the number of K-9s in our agency. I am very proud of all of my staff who worked together to save this young woman’s life.”