CHARGES FILED AGAINST CLARENDON HILLS MAN FOR MURDER OF HIS EIGHT-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER

WHEATON – DuPage County State’s Attorney Joe Birkett and Clarendon Hills Police Chief Patrick Anderson today announced today that First Degree Murder charges have been filed against Neil J. Lofquist, 40, (d.o.b. 3/30/1965), of 153 Chicago Avenue, Clarendon Hills for the murder of his eight-year-old daughter Lauren.

At approximately 10 p.m. Sunday evening, the Clarendon Hills Police Department responded to a 9-1-1 call for assistance to a young girl at 153 Chicago Avenue, Clarendon Hills.  Upon their arrival at the residence, police discovered the deceased body of Lauren Lofquist (d.o.b. 10/9/97).  Lauren had been strangled and stabbed in the neck.

It is alleged that shortly after 8 p.m., while his wife was downstairs and his son was in bed, Lofquist allegedly entered Lauren’s bedroom.  Once inside Lauren’s bedroom it is alleged that Lofquist strangled his daughter.  He then allegedly removed her from the bedroom, bringing her to an upstairs bathroom where he allegedly attempted to drown her in the toilet and also stabbed her in the neck.  Lofquist then allegedly went to a neighbor’s house unexpectedly and was told by the neighbor to go back home.  Once in his house, Lofquist and his wife decided that he should go to the hospital to attend to some wounds Lofquist had sustained.  At Lofquist’s direction, his wife called a neighbor to babysit Lauren while Lofquist, his wife and son went to the hospital.  While Lofquist was at the hospital, hospital personnel made the 9-1-1 call requesting a well-being check at the Lofquist residence.

“When you see a vicious murder like this you can’t help but wonder what went wrong last night that caused Mr. Lofquist to allegedly take the life of his own beautiful daughter,” commented Birkett.  “I would like to thank the Clarendon Hills Police Department, the DuPage County Coroner’s Office and the State’s Attorney’s Office, particularly Assistant State’s Attorneys Thomas O’Connor and Jeff Kendall, who worked tirelessly throughout the night and into this morning to answer that question and solve this senseless, brutal slaying.  Additionally, based upon the facts and circumstances of this tragic situation, I will request a psychiatric forensic evaluation to determine the defendant’s mental capacity.”

“The Village of Clarendon Hills thanks the DuPage State’s Attorney’s Office, the DuPage Coroner, the Felony Investigative Assistance Team, and Hinsdale Hospital for the professionalism they displayed over the past 16 hours,” remarked Chief Anderson.  “The Community of Clarendon Hills and its residents have been well served.”

Members of the public are reminded that this complaint contains only charges and is not proof of the defendant’s guilt.  A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the government’s burden to prove his or her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

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