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Woman Who Apparently Drowned In Lake Identified

LAKE FOREST, Ill. (CBS) -- A woman whose body was pulled from Lake Michigan off a north suburban beach has been identified as a 32-year-old Lake Forest resident.

Lake Forest police said Rebecca Long was wearing sunglasses, running pants, running shoes, a t-shirt, and a fleece jacket when she went into the water off Forest Park Beach on Thursday morning.

Detectives still have not determined how or why she went in the water, and have asked anyone who might have seen Long go into the lake to call Lake Forest police at 847-234-2601.

Someone called 911 around 8:20 a.m. Thursday, after witnesses saw a woman in distress near a boat launch at Forest Park Beach. Witnesses saw the woman waving her arms and struggling to stay afloat.

A pair of U.S. Coast Guard helicopters, along with several rescue boats and crews from as many as 20 area fire departments assisted in the search effort. However, it took roughly 2 1/2 hours to find the woman, and by then she was dead.

"Unfortunately, the body was recovered by Lake Forest divers under the surface of the water," U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Brian Dykens said.

An autopsy was scheduled for Friday.

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