A Lake Forest resident charged last week with multiple counts of possession of child sexual abuse material apparently took his own life Wednesday afternoon in a local forest preserve, according to the Lake County Coroner’s office.
John Abendshien, 79, was found at 5:47 p.m. at the city’s Derwen Mawr Nature Preserve, according to a preliminary report from the Lake County Coroner’s Office.
The Coroner’s office announced Thursday afternoon that preliminary autopsy results showed Abendshien died from asphyxia that was consistent with it being self-inflicted.
Lake Forest Police Chief John Burke said he believes the death was an isolated incident and that there is no threat to the community.
Abendshien was charged on April 17 with seven felony counts of possession of child sexual abuse material. He had been arrested the previous day at his Lake Forest home following an investigation and was released after a hearing last Friday.
His attorney did not immediately return requests for comment.
Abendshien was a retired health care executive, according to his LinkedIn page. He also owned the Winnetka home featured in the 1990 popular film Home Alone from 1988 to 2012, according to public records.
