McHenry County authorities say they believe a 17-year-old driver from the far northwestern Chicago suburb of Johnsburg died of hypothermia after leaving his vehicle when it got stuck in the snow.
The body of Samuel Summers, a Johnsburg High School Senior, was found at about 3 p.m. Saturday near the Johnsburg sewage plant.
The boy’s mother initially called police at 5:23 a.m. Saturday and said her son had called at 2:30 a.m. to say his car became stuck in a snow drift on Route 31 and he needed a ride home.
She said she found the car a short time later, but was unable to find her son. Officers arrived at the scene at 5:28 a.m. They, too, found the car unoccupied.
Police said Sunday that it seemed that the teen got in a minor auto crash less than a half-mile north of where his body was found.
McHenry County Deputy Coroner Kim Bostic said it appeared that the teen died from exposure to cold. An autopsy was scheduled for Monday.
