Daniel Sotelo was a 26-year-old graduate student at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), who went missing on April 30, 2022. His body was found one mile offshore of Wilmette in Lake Michigan on May 22, 2022. The cause of death has not yet been determined by the medical examiner’s office, which is awaiting toxicology results. Officials concluded that Sotelo drowned, but the manner of death, such as an accident, natural causes, or homicide, could not be determined.
A Tragic Love Story
Sotelo’s disappearance was linked to that of his girlfriend, Natally Brookson, who was also a UIC student. Brookson, 22, was last seen leaving work on April 30, 2022, in the Budlong Woods neighborhood. She was found dead on May 2, 2022, in Lake Michigan near Bryn Mawr Avenue. An autopsy the next day was inconclusive, and the cause and manner of her death are still pending.
Brookson was a senior at the UIC College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, although she had withdrawn from the spring semester, according to a university spokesperson. She worked as a dietary aide at the Friedman Place, a community for blind adults, since 2020. Her boss said she quit her job after her shift on April 30, 2022, which was also the last place she was seen.
Sotelo was last seen on the same day, when he was dropped off at the CTA train at the Roosevelt ‘L’ stop. He was known to make visits in the area of the 6100 Block of N. Winthrop. His family and friends were heartbroken to hear about Brookson’s death and were hopeful they would be reunited with Sotelo. His father, Nicolas Sotelo, said he was relying on faith that his son would come home.
A Mystery That Remains Unsolved
The deaths of Sotelo and Brookson have raised many questions and speculations, but no answers. It is unclear how they ended up in Lake Michigan, and whether their deaths were related or coincidental. Police are working to uncover any clues in the mysterious deaths of the former UIC students, who were both reported missing in April, 2022.
A GoFundMe page was created to help cover funeral expenses for Brookson, and to support Sotelo’s family. The page described Brookson as a “beautiful soul” who was “always smiling and laughing”. It also said that Sotelo was a “kind and loving person” who was “always there for his friends and family”. The page has raised over $15,000 as of November 23, 2023.
The medical examiner’s office is still waiting for the results of the toxicology tests, which could shed some light on the cause and manner of death for Sotelo and Brookson. Until then, their families and friends are left with grief and uncertainty, hoping for closure and justice.
