The Chicagoist will be launching later but in the meantime please enjoy our archives.

Toddler's Dismembered Body Was In Garfield Park Lagoon For More Than A Week

By Kate Shepherd in News on Sep 9, 2015 9:55PM

Police are asking for the public's help investigating the death of a toddler whose dismembered body parts were found in the Garfield Park lagoon over the weekend. The unidentified child was African-American and between two and three years old.

Police officers and volunteers are hitting the streets and going door-to-door in the area around the lagoon pleading for help, according to the Associated Press. And a sketch artist is currently examining the toddler's head to create a drawing to help identify the child. The body parts were in the lagoon for about one to two weeks, authorities said.

So far police haven't found any links to children who were reported missing from the Chicago area and they've enlisted the help of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, according to ABC7.

"If you are aware of a small child that you have not seen in your neighborhood in the last couple of weeks and you find that unusual or suspicious to call us," John Escalante, the department's chief of detectives, said. "If you are aware of, for example, of a family that has a small child that suddenly packed up and moved and you think that's unusual or suspicious, please call us."

Police received a report of foot floating in the lagoon on Saturday afternoon. The other foot, two hands and a 20-pound weight were found yards away and the toddler's head was discovered on Sunday afternoon.

The city's Water Department is draining the lagoon in hopes of finding more evidence. The process started Tuesday and could take 2 to 5 days, according to ABC7.

Once the lagoon search is completed, police hope to identify the child and his or her parents and figure out why the child was dismembered and thrown into the lagoon, Chicago Police Chief John Escalante said according to ABC7.

"In 24 years in this department, I can tell you this is one of the most challenging crimes I've been part of, and many of the men and women behind me, as well," Chicago Deputy Chief Steve Georgas said at a press conference. "There's no words that can describe what's going on out there."