Chicago Police

Granddaughter Of Woman Found In Freezer Says Family Member Involved In Her Death

The victim's granddaughter says she called police to conduct a well-being check on Monday

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It started with a well-being check Monday evening at a Northwest Side home by a worried granddaughter who lives out of state, and ended with police finding a 96-year-old woman dead inside of a freezer in the garage.

“The only way I can describe the feeling that I had it was a mixture of certainty and fear …I was afraid she was gone – but certain she was gone,” said Sabrina Watson.

Hours later, Watson says that her mother was taken into police custody, and her grandmother, identified as Regina Michalski, was found dead in the 5500 of West Melrose.

Both Watson’s mother and grandmother lived in the home, though neighbors say they had not seen the older woman in several years.

Watson lives in Kentucky and said she hadn’t seen or heard from her grandmother in more than ten years. She suspects foul play may be involved in her death.

“There is a history of abuse here,” she said. “There is a history of fraud....of prison and mental illness.”

Watson says she has no idea how long her grandmother may have been in that freezer – and doubts that she lived to see 96. She says her grandmother’s health was failing at age 80.

Chicago police confirmed that an individual was is in custody, but they have not released the person’s name or any charges.

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