At about 9 p.m., crews suspended their search of the river, located about 60 miles southwest of Chicago, near Route 53. A recovery effort continues Tuesday morning.
Abiyail Arroyo, of Joliet, was unresponsive when pulled from the water, officials said. She was rushed to the hospital where she died.
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Two Good Samaritans who tried to rescue the children also had to be rescued themselves.
The children's family was having a cook-out at nearby South Island Park.
Eyewitnesses said the children were walking near a dam in the Kankakee River just before 6:00 p.m. Although the water is shallow, sometimes not even three feet, there is a drop at the dam and the under current is strong.
The water temperature was 75 degrees on Memorial Day, police said.