The body of a North Barrington woman who'd gone missing days earlier was found Thursday, and authorities said the death appeared to be a suicide.
Maria Carlsen was last seen by family members at her home in a private, upscale subdivision in North Barrington at about 2 p.m. Monday, family members told police.
Her body was found in a vacant, 14 acre lot a little more than a mile from her home, near J & D's Bar and Grill, along Route 12 in Wauconda. Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran said Carlsen took her own life and said there were bottles of Xanax and Seroquel, an antidepressant, found near her.
Crime tape surrounded the area where the body was found, which was covered by a large, blue tarp. Authorities said they'd received a tip from a passerby who reported seeing a woman fitting Carlsen's description walking "aimlessly" on the property at about 1:30 on Monday afternoon.
"The family was worried that she may harm herself, although they were hoping for the best and that maybe she just went off somewhere and was thinking about life in general and not thinking about hurting herself," said Lake County Sheriff's deputy George Manis.
Carlsen was supposed to fly to Boca Raton, Fla., on Tuesday to join her husband at their vacation home there, but when a limo showed up to drive her to O'Hare International Airport, her bags were packed -- including Valentine's Day cards for her grandchildren -- but she was nowhere to be found.
A team of blood hounds was sent Thursday with investigators in the area where Carlsen's BMW was found, in the parking lot of J and D's Bar and Grill, roughly a mile from her home. A helicopter crew continued the search near Lakewood Forest Preserve, police said.
Jose Banuelos, owner of J and D's, said police were in his parking lot all day Tuesday and most of Wednesday.
Carlesen recently sold a Barrington nail salon that she operated with her daughter.
