8-year-old girl dies in river after struggling to swim: ‘This is nothing short of a tragedy’
MANKATO, Minn. (KEYC/Gray News) - The body of a missing 8-year-old girl has been recovered from the Minnesota River.
KEYC reports that 8-year-old Willow Bense went missing Thursday evening at a park in Mankato after she was swimming in the river.
The Blue Earth Sheriff’s Department said a mother, a father and four children were at the park for about a week before the kids wanted to do a little more swimming.
“The kids took their lifejackets off, started jumping off of the sandbar and then experienced some deeper water than they anticipated. Unfortunately, the kids got into some trouble,” said Blue Earth Sheriff’s Department Capt. Paul Barta.
According to the sheriff’s department, a bystander was nearby and spotted the two kids struggling in the water. This person was able to get one of the children to safety but could not grab Willow, who then went under the water.
“It’s a sad day. The loss of a child is heartbreaking. It’s always heartbreaking. An accidental-type situation like this is nothing short of a tragedy,” Barta said.
Authorities said Willow’s mother also attempted to save her but was swept away by the river and had to be rescued herself.
Barta said a helicopter, several drones and 11 boats were used to search for Willow before the team ultimately found the 8-year-old’s body.
“Our search efforts on the river continued from the time of the call through the night, and in the morning, around 8:40 a.m., one of the search boats was able to locate Willow’s body, probably about 5,000 feet downstream from where she was last seen,” Barta said.
Copyright 2022 KEYC via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
