Stookey Township Park near Belleville closed Sunday after woman’s death

Stookey Township Park was closed Sunday after someone took their own life there earlier in the day, authorities said.

St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department Capt. Bruce Fleshren said the suicide took place between 6 and 8 a.m. The victim was a woman in her 60s. Further information about the incident was not released.

“It’s a sad, tragic event,” Fleshren said.

Stookey Township Supervisor Mark Bagby said in a news release that the park was closed all day Sunday and will reopen at 6 a.m. Monday.’

“Any further information will be disseminated at the discretion of the Sheriff’s Department. I wish to thank the Sheriff’s Department, our Stookey employees and other agencies that assisted for their professionalism on this incident,” Babgy said in the press release. “Our thoughts and deepest sympathies go out to the individual’s family.”

The park is located on Arlington Drive off of 74th Street, just outside of the Belleville city limits.

This story was originally published August 1, 2021 at 6:06 PM.