MAYWOOD, Ill. — Police in the western suburbs are investigating the death of a woman — who is the mother of a former NFL player — as a homicide, according to the Maywood Police Department.

Maywood police said they were informed by family members Saturday that they could not find or make contact with 73-year-old Myrtle Brown, or 35-year-old Sergio Brown.

After launching a missing persons search for the two, police said Myrtle Brown was found unresponsive in a creek near the back of her residence and was later taken to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office.

The Cook County Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed Simmons-Brown’s death on Sunday and say she died from multiple injuries related to an assault and the manner of death has been ruled a homicide.

Family members said Myrtle had just celebrated her 73rd birthday on Sept. 8th.

Sheila Simmons, the sister of Myrtle Simmons-Brown, told WGN TV News that she last talked to Myrtle on Thursday, Sept. 14.

According to Simmons, early Saturday morning around 3 a.m., she received a phone call informing her that Myrtle and her nephew Sergio were missing. Simmons said she then went to her sister and nephew’s house in Maywood, and noticed things around the house were out of the ordinary.

Simmons said she searched the creek behind the house with police and initially didn’t find anything, but later in the day, she and other family members went back to search and discovered Myrtle’s body in the creek.

“We’re going to find out what happened because it’s not normal for my sister to not answer her phone, not to respond to text messages. People have been reaching out to her since Friday. No one was able to reach her,” Simmons said. “Now, I got the call this morning saying that she’s missing, so immediately I came out here and find out my sister is dead.”

Family members told WGN TV News that they have not heard from Sergio.

Sergio, an alumni of Proviso East High School in Maywood, played 94 games across seven seasons in the National Football League from 2010-16, the majority of which were spent with the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts.

Maywood PD said they are currently trying to find Sergio Brown, and anyone with information that can help police find him can reach out to Maywood Police Investigations at 708-368-4131, or Maywood PD’s anonymous tip line at 708-450-1787.