Body of Missing Woman Found, Suicide Suspected

The search for a missing North Barrington woman ended in tragedy Thursday when her body was found after an apparent suicide.

Family members told the sheriff's deputies they had not heard from Maria A. Carlsen, 61, since around 2 p.m. Feb. 13, according to the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

A woman notified police that she had seen someone matching the description of Carlsen around 1 p.m. Monday off of Rte. 12. The woman didn't think of calling authorities until she read the reports of the missing woman. The call came at 11 a.m. Thursday and a search of the area began immediately.

Carlsen's body was found in the culvert off of Rte. 12 in unincorporated Wauconda. The Sheriff's Office said she died of a suspected suicide. Two bottles of anti-depressants were found with the body, according to Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran.

Investigators have learned that Carlsen was scheduled to take a limousine to O’Hare airport on Tuesday morning in order to fly to Boca Raton, FL, to be with her husband.  When the limousine arrived at her residence, Carlsen’s bags were packed but she and her vehicle, a 2010 black 5 Series BMW, were missing from the residence.  Investigators later recovered her vehicle from the parking lot of JD’s restaurant located at Route 12 and Old Rand Road in unincorporated Wauconda.

According to Lake County Deputy Chief Greg Manis, Carlsen's family had been worried that she might harm herself after she went missing.

An autopsy from the Lake County Coroner's Office will be done but won't be ready for a few days.