Coroner identifies 12-year-old found dead in Vermilion River

DANVILLE, Ill. (WAND) — Vermilion County Coroner Jane McFadden has identified the body of a 12-year-old boy whose body was recovered from the Vermilion River.

The child was identified as Christopher D. London of Danville.

His body was pulled from the river Friday, July 19, after he had gone missing last Monday.

Coroner McFadden said his family had been located and notified. An autopsy was conducted on Saturday, July 20. No foul play is suspected, and no preliminary results will be released.

Law enforcement found the boy in the Vermilion River a quarter mile downstream from where he was swimming on Monday night. He had been with two friends when he got caught in a current and pulled underwater.

Heavy rainfall and storms have made the search difficult over the past few days. Members of DPD, the Vermilion County Sheriff’s Office, and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources were all involved in the search as well as community members.

IDNR and VCSO's Underwater Search and Rescue Teams were instrumental in the recovery.

DPD Chief of Police Christopher Yates said, “Members of both Illinois Department of Natural Resources and Vermilion County Sheriff’s Office’s Search and Rescue teams worked together on a very difficult task that was both mentally and physically exhausting due to the sensitive circumstances. I appreciate their dedication, skills, and efforts to make this recovery. There are risks in what they do but they worked through it to help bring some closure to a tragic event. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victim’s family, friends and our community."