The 17-year-old daughter of U.S. Rep. Sean Casten, Gwen, died Monday morning at the family home in Downers Grove, her office and police said.
Downers Grove police went to Casten’s home around 6:50 a.m. Monday after receiving a call about an unresponsive teenager, the department said in a press release. Gwen was dead, officials determined, and DuPage County Attorney’s Office was called. His death is under investigation.
Casten’s office issued a brief statement Monday night.
“The Casten family is asking for privacy and we will not comment further during this heartbreaking time,” the statement said in part.
A spokesman for Casten, who is serving in District 6 and is seeking re-election this year, declined to comment further.
Gwen Casten, a recent graduate of Downers Grove North High School, was an honorary student and fellow in the state of Illinois. She was active with the Downers Grove North Empowerment Club and the student newspaper Omega.
Last year, she and her father wrote about the January 6, 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol for Omega.
Gwen was also the leader of the student-led arms control group March For Our Lives.
Earlier this month, Sean Casten said in an interview with Newsy that Gwen, in response to the mass shootings in schools, had organized a program in which teens were taught how to treat bullet wounds.
“I’m very proud that my daughter took the initiative to organize it, and it’s a great shame that we, as a country, are taking responsibility for … children to do what U.S. senators don’t do. they have the courage to do it themselves, “said Casten, an open arms control advocate.
Gwen, along with her mother, Kara, and her sister, Audrey, were with her father when she was sworn in as a congressman for the first time in January 2019.
Gwen appeared earlier this month in a digital ad promoting her father’s legislative priorities. She was also a fellow in her father’s 2020 campaign.
Now running for a third term in Congress, Sean Casten faces La Grange U.S. Rep. sixth district. Newman now turns third, but chose to run in the sixth after legislative boundaries were redesigned last year.
The Casten campaign has temporarily halted its television advertising. Newman’s campaign is also stopping all ads comparing the two candidates.
“I am heartbroken by the Casten family for the devastating loss of their daughter,” Newman said in an email Monday night. “My prayers are with Sean, Kara and the whole Casten family.”
Hughes also expressed his family’s sympathy in an email.
Highland Park MP Brad Schneider, who has backed Casten this year, said he was “devastated” by the news of Gwen’s death.
“May the family have privacy and peace right now, knowing that our community has them in our hearts, and that Gwen’s memory will be a blessing to all who knew her,” Schneider said.
Kind words also came from across the aisle, with the 6th Republican nominees from the 6th District: Niki Conforti from Glen Ellyn, Rob Cruz from Oak Lawn, Gary Grasso from Burr Ridge, Scott Kaspar from Orland Park, Catherine A. O’Shea. of Oak Lawn and Keith Pekau of Orlando Park, publicly expressing their condolences.