A few short weeks after several chilling allegations came out against him, former Home Alone house owner John Abendshien was found dead at an Illinois nature preserve this past Wednesday.
According to The New York Post, Abendshien’s body was discovered in Lake Forest Open Lands, Illinois at around 6 pm on April 22. As per the outlet, the manner of the 79-year-old’s death was found to be “asphyxia in a manner consistent with being self-inflicted.” However, local police are investigating Abendshien’s death as a precaution.
As the Lake County Coroner’s Office said, “This is believed to be an isolated incident with no threat to the community at this time.”
Perhaps most famously, Abendshien owned the famous red brick Colonial house used as the McCallister residence in 1990’s holiday classic, Home Alone. Following the release of the film, the Abendshien family wound up selling the Chicago home in 2012 for a whopping $1.585 million.
In more recent months, the 79-year-old Abendshien faced some disturbing legal trouble after the Lake County State Attorney’s Office launched an investigation over the alleged possession of child pornagraphy.
The investigation involved multiple online tips supposedly linking Abendshien to the possession, manufacturing and distribution of child abuse material. The Lake Forest Police Department conducted a search of Abendshien’s home on April 16 and seized various electronic evidence as part of their investigation.
As part of the legal proceedings, Abendshien was charged with seven different felonies, including three counts of possession of child sexual abuse material and four counts of child sexual abuse material. He was later released under conditions following a detention hearing on April 17.
The longtime owner of the fan-favorite Colonial house, Abendshien released a memoir about the house with Home but Alone No More, detailing his experiences filming Home Alone and the impact the movie had on his and his family’s lives.
If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide or struggling with suicidal thoughts, help is available 24 hours a day through the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.
If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or visit their website.