In a heartbreaking turn that has stunned the Chicago community, new details have emerged about the last hours of Linda Brown, the 53-year-old special education teacher at Robert Healy Elementary School whose body was recovered from Lake Michigan earlier this month. The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office officially ruled her death a suicide by drowning, with toxicology results still pending, closing a chapter on a disappearance that gripped the city for over a week.

According to accounts from staff at a small restaurant located roughly 3 kilometers from Brown’s Bronzeville home, the evening unfolded in an unsettling manner. On what would become one of her final nights out alone, Brown reportedly arrived at the establishment and ordered drinks, consuming alcohol by herself over several hours. Witnesses described her as increasingly agitated, refusing repeated suggestions to head home for dinner with her children. Instead, she remained seated, her behavior growing more erratic as the night wore on.

The most disturbing element, according to the restaurant owner and employees, was Brown’s persistent yelling of the same three words throughout the evening. Though the exact phrase has not been publicly confirmed by authorities, the repetition was loud enough to alarm those around her. Staff members felt a growing sense of unease and fear due to her intense demeanor and the unexplained outburst, which continued unabated despite attempts to calm her. No physical altercations occurred, but the atmosphere turned tense, prompting concern for her well-being and that of others present.

This episode appears to have been one of the last public sightings before Brown’s disappearance on January 3, 2026. Surveillance footage later released by her family showed her parking her blue Honda Civic near 35th Street and Lake Park Avenue around 3 a.m., stepping out, and walking alone toward a pedestrian bridge leading to the lakefront. She was never seen alive again. Her husband, Antwon, had reported her missing after waking to find her gone following what he described as a quiet movie night at home days earlier. She had mentioned heading to an acupuncture appointment but never arrived.

The discovery of her body near the 31st Street Harbor brought a tragic end to an intensive search involving Chicago Police divers and lakefront patrols. Friends, colleagues, and former students remembered Brown as a dedicated educator who had positively impacted countless lives, particularly in special education. Her death has sparked discussions about mental health struggles among teachers and the importance of community support systems.

As the investigation concludes with the suicide determination, the three words she screamed that night remain a haunting mystery—perhaps a cry for help that went unheard amid her inner turmoil. The Chicago Public Schools community continues to mourn, offering counseling to students and staff affected by the loss of a beloved figure.