Remains from 1971 downstate Illinois train crash identified as Chicago mother, daughter
CHICAGO - Remains found after a deadly 1971 passenger train derailment in downstate Illinois have been identified 55 years later as a Chicago mother and her young daughter.
Remains from 1971 train crash ID'd
The DNA Doe Project said the remains belonged to 34-year-old Katherine Adams and her 3-year-old daughter, Gladys Adams. Both were already known to have died in the June 10, 1971, derailment near Tonti, Illinois.
Katherine Adams and Gladys Adams | DNA Doe Project
For decades, the remains were believed to belong to a single unidentified person who was counted among 11 people thought to have died in the crash.
The train derailed about a month after Amtrak began operating, making it the first fatal incident in the company's history.
The unidentified remains were buried in Salem, where members of the community cared for the grave and pushed for answers.
How they were identified
In early 2025, a local resident suggested using investigative genetic genealogy to identify the person buried in the grave.
The City of Salem approved an exhumation, which took place in June 2025. During the process, forensic anthropologists discovered the grave actually contained two sets of remains — those of a woman and a child.
By June 2026, DNA profiles had been developed for both. Researchers with the DNA Doe Project determined the child was a girl and the woman was her mother.
Researchers then compared the DNA findings with family trees they had built for known victims of the crash. Within hours, they found family connections that led them to Katherine and Gladys Adams.
The findings were presented to agency partners and later confirmed after surviving relatives were contacted.
What they're saying:
"To solve a case from 1971, we utilized both historical records and modern technology," DNA Doe Project team leader Gwen Knapp said in a statement. "Thanks to the people of Salem, who never forgot about the victims of the crash, we were finally able to put a 55-year-old mystery to bed."
What's next:
The identification establishes that there was no additional unidentified victim from the crash, bringing the known death toll from 11 to 10.
The DNA Doe Project said the discovery also means the remains of Katherine and Gladys can finally be returned to their loved ones.
The Source: The information in this story came from the DNA Doe Project.