1 August 2023
BELTRAMI COUNTY, Minn. A 13-year-old girl from the Fargo-Moorhead area was pronounced dead after her body was found in Lake Julia near Bemidji following a search on Sunday evening.
According to a release from Beltrami County Chief Deputy Jarrett Walton, at 5:02 p.m. Sunday, July 30, dispatch received a report of a missing 13-year-old girl who had been swimming in Lake Julia, approximately 10 miles north of Bemidji.
Law enforcement learned that the girl was from the Fargo-Moorhead area but was in the area visiting friends, the release said. Friends attempted to locate the girl, who had been swimming off a pontoon, but were unsuccessful and requested assistance from emergency responders.
Upon arrival, first responders learned that the girl had removed her personal flotation device and was on the ladder of the pontoon before she went under the water and did not resurface, the release said.
Deputies were assisted by other bystander boaters until additional law enforcement and fire resources arrived equipped with underwater detection equipment. The Lakes Area Dive Team also responded to the scene.
At 7:52 p.m., the dive team located the girl’s body in 23 feet of water, the release said. The body was recovered and transported to the Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy.
According to the release, no further information or the identity of the victim will be released.
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