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A missing Illinois father was found dead more than three months after a car crash in which he refused medical treatment and was later dropped off at work by police before disappearing.
The body of Daniel “Dan” Davis was discovered at around 3 p.m. on Monday in a wooded area next to train tracks along the border of the Chicago suburbs of Blue Island, the Chicago Police Department confirmed.
The 59-year-old’s cause of death is still under investigation.
His daughter, Wendy Davis, confirmed her family received word that her father’s remains had been found after “three and a half months of agony” searching for the beloved patriarch
“It’s an eerie feeling – thank god this terrible chapter of constant unknown is finally over,” she wrote in a heartbreaking Facebook post Tuesday.
Witnesses last spotted Davis wandering around the entertainment complex where he worked at a bar at about 1:15 a.m. on Nov. 25. He had been involved in a car crash hours earlier, but refused medical attention, People reported.
“Daniel Davis was evaluated by paramedics and refused medical treatment. Sheriff’s police did not detect any observable signs of impairment or injury,” a Cook County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson told the outlet.
Police feared Davis may have suffered a head injury in the wreck, which left his car totaled.
“Davis was given a ride to his workplace at approximately 12:30 a.m. due to the fact that his vehicle was undrivable,” the department said.
Home security footage later captured Davis appearing disoriented as he walked through the Chicago suburbs and exited a local church at 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 26.
“Since his disappearance, sheriff’s police K9 units have assisted in the search at the request of Merrionette Park Police and will continue to assist in any way possible,” the Cook County Sheriff’s Office added.
Wendy said the footage appeared to show her father’s face drooping, noting that he also tripped over a curb and had his sweatshirt on inside out.
“We’re watching that footage and we noticed some symptoms that are not normal to Dan,” his daughter told People in December.
She said footage from before the crash showed Davis trying to enter homes in his neighbors’ apartment complex, sparking fears he had a medical episode before the accident.
“The accident definitely didn’t make it better,” she told People. “He probably got a concussion in the accident, too. We don’t know for sure.”
In the wake of her father’s body being found, Wendy thanked law enforcement and the community for helping in the search and said she is now starting a “new terrible chapter without my smarter, goofier, and relentlessly selfless other half.”
“This is the news we’ve all been expecting in a way, but nothing really prepares you for it. I’ve never laughed harder with anybody than I have with my dad. And I can’t wait to do it again someday,” she wrote in her post.
“Not a single gesture went unnoticed. I am so glad dad is so loved,” she concluded.
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