17-Year-Old Brissa Romero Identified as the Body Found in Vernon Hills Pond

By Brissa Romero

Authorities have confirmed that the body recovered from a pond in Vernon Hills has been identified as Brissa Romero, a 17-year-old resident of Carpentersville who had been reported missing by her family last week.

The Lake County coroner’s office revealed on Wednesday that the preliminary autopsy results suggest no significant injuries and indicate that her cause of death is consistent with drowning.

During the second day of the search for the missing teenager, divers discovered a body resembling Romero’s description in a large retention pond near Executive Way and Lakeview Parkway at approximately 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday. The day before, her grey Nissan Rogue had been retrieved from the same pond.

Following the recovery, the coroner’s office conducted an autopsy on Wednesday, successfully confirming the remains as those of Brissa Romero.

On December 4, Romero had last communicated with her family while en route to a holiday work event at a Vernon Hills bowling alley.

Based on the condition of the SUV, Vernon Hills police have stated their belief that Romero was inside the vehicle when it entered the pond. The SUV had traveled around 60 feet into the pond near a T-shaped intersection.

Vernon Hills Police Chief Patrick Kreis, speaking alongside Carpentersville police at a joint press conference on Monday, stated, “From our preliminary review of the incident, it appears to be a case where an unfamiliar driver failed to navigate a turn and subsequently went through the intersection, down an embankment, and into the pond.”

The investigation into the incident remains ongoing, with Vernon Hills police, Carpentersville police, the Major Crash Assistance Team of Lake County, and the coroner’s office working together.