Fatima Cavic, 38, of 1638 Ash St. Des Plaines, was pronounced dead at Alexian Brothers Medical Center in Elk Grove at about 2:30 p.m. Monday after Elk Grove Fire Department divers pulled her from her submerged silver Mercedes Benz in Busse Lake shortly after 1:30 p.m. Monday near the boat docks on the west end of Busse Lake near Higgins and Route 53 [MAP/SAT].
Witnesses called 911 about 12:45 p.m. Monday from the Busse Woods Forest Preserve. The witnesses saw a car roll into Busse Lake, but did not know if anyone was in the car when it rolled into the Lake.
Elk Grove Fire Department sent three ambulances to the scene and a Schaumburg ambulance stood by at the scene while fire department divers located the car, which was completely submerged and not visible from the surface. Firefighters had to interview witnesses and look for clues to estimate where the car entered the water. Fire department divers found the silver Mercedes Benz on the muddy bottom of Busse Lake in about 10 feet of water. Resuscitation was attempted once the victim was removed from Busse Lake following the rescue operation, which was completed when she was pulled from her car window.
Divers conducted a thorough search with a Side-scan sonar from Wheeling Fire Department to confirm that there were no additional victims. Only two bags or backpacks that apparently popped out of the trunk of the submerged car were found on the opposite, south shore of Busse Lake.
The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office reported Cavic’s death as a “drowning, suicide” on Tuesday.
Fatima Cavic and her husband were co-owners Vive la Crepe Restaurant, at 1565 Sherman Ave., Evanston.