Authorities Continue to Investigate Fatal Train Accident

North Chicago, ILL - A woman and her 1-year-old goddaughter were killed after a Metra train struck them as they crossed the tracks with family Saturday morning in north suburban North Chicago.

Metra Union Pacific North Line train No. 806 struck a woman carrying a baby about 8:05 a.m. near the North Chicago station, Metra spokeswoman Judy Pardonnet said.

Lake County Coroner Richard Keller said the woman was pronounced dead on the scene and the 1-year-old girl was taken to Vista Medical Center East in Waukegan, where she was pronounced dead about 11:30 a.m.

A Sunday autopsy confirmed they died of multiple traumatic injuries and ruled the deaths an accident, Keller said.

The woman -- the baby’s godmother -- was crossing the tracks with her husband and teenage daughter, North Chicago police Sgt. Sal Cecala said.

The baby’s mother had just dropped them off to catch a train, and the husband and teenager crossed the tracks first, Cecala said. The godmother, in her mid-30s, was the last in the group to attempt to cross the tracks when she was fatally struck, he said.

Witnesses said the boardwalk was illuminated with flashing lights and warning sounds, and the train was blasting its horn at the time of the accident, Cecala said.

The inbound train departed the Waukegan station about 8:50 a.m., and its next scheduled stop was at 8:56 a.m. at the Great Lakes station, Pardonnet said. The train does not stop at the North Chicago station.

None of the passengers on the train were injured, and they were transferred to another inbound train, Pardonnet said. The passengers were expected to arrive in Chicago about 90 minutes behind schedule.

Metra police are conducting an investigation, as they do in all incidents where a train strikes a pedestrian. Union Pacific is also investigating, Cecala said.

“It will be completely investigated,” Pardonnet said. “There were probably cameras that will be reviewed. The crew will be interviewed. Anybody who could have witnessed this will be interviewed.”