ILLINOIS — Aurora police found a body in a retention pond Monday evening while searching for a missing woman near the Chicago Premium Outlet Mall, authorities said.
Police had been searching for 32-year-old Shafia S. Murad, who was last seen around 1:30 p.m. Thursday in the area of the outlet mall. Family members described Murad as a vulnerable adult who requires medication and may appear confused or disoriented.
According to police, investigators believed Murad may have been attempting to travel to Chicago after leaving the mall area.
Officers discovered a body at approximately 7:35 p.m. Monday in a retention pond near North Farnsworth Avenue and Corporate Boulevard, not far from where Murad was last seen.
Authorities said the person has not been positively identified, and the circumstances surrounding the death remain under investigation. An autopsy is scheduled for Wednesday.
Murad’s family has said she died, but they have not confirmed whether she is the person found in the pond.
Police said officers initially searched the outlet mall and surrounding area after Murad was reported missing and reviewed surveillance video that showed her traveling toward the area where the body was later discovered.
The investigation remains ongoing.
