Illinois Rep. Sean Casten’s 17-year-old daughter, Gwen Casten, has died. The Illinois Democrat’s office confirmed the teen’s death in a statement shared on Twitter Monday evening, confirming that Casten’s “beloved daughter, Gwen (17) passed away.” The statement went on to add, “the Casten family requests privacy, and we will be issuing no further comment during this heartbreaking time.”
According to the Chicago Tribune, citing local police, Gwen passed away inside the family’s Downers Grove home. Downers Grove police said they were called to a home in the area Monday just before 7 a.m. “for an unresponsive seventeen year old female,” when “first responders determined that the subject was deceased.” The teen was pronounced dead at the scene. At this time, further details regarding Gwen’s passing, including her cause of death, have not been disclosed.
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The 17-year-old graduated from Downers Grove North High School in May and was set to attend the University of Vermont in the fall to study environmental science. According to her Twitter bio, she served as co-director of the March For Our Lives Illinois chapter. She also recently appeared in a campaign video supporting her father’s bid for reelection. In the video, released earlier this month, she spoke of how turning 18 would be a “big year” filled with “lots of milestones,” including “voting for the first time. But not just for anyone … Sean Casten. My Congressman. But I just call him Dad.”
Gwen’s father, a Democrat, represents Illinois’ 6th Congressional District. Casten was first elected in 2018 and was the first Democrat to represent the district in nearly 50 years. CBS News reports that shortly before Casten’s office confirmed Gwen’s passing, Casten’s campaign asked all Illinois TV stations to immediately pull his campaign spots off the air until further notice. Casten is currently running against fellow incumbent Rep. Marie Newman, a freshman, and Nicor operation mechanic Charles Hughes. In a statement, Newman said, “My heart breaks for the Casten family for the devastating loss of their daughter. My prayers are with Sean, Kara, and the entire Casten family.” Newman also immediately suspended all her campaign ads.
Several others have since paid their respects, with Illinois state Rep. Bob Morgan tweeting, “This is awful beyond words. You and your family are in my prayers, and I hope you find strength in the difficult days ahead. May Gwen’s memory be a blessing upon us all.” In a written statement, according to NBC News, Courtney DeMent, principal of North High School in Downers Grove, Illinois, wrote, “Our school community is grieving from the loss of 2022 graduate Gwen Casten, a shining star. Many people are hurting right now and we send our love to the Casten family.”
