Girl found dead after search in northern Minnesota lake

BELTRAMI COUNTY, Minn. (FOX 9) - A tragic incident at a northern Minnesota lake left a 13-year-old girl dead over the weekend.

The Beltrami Sheriff's Office says the girl drowned in Lake Julia, about 10 miles north of Beltrami. Deputies were called out for the incident shortly after 5 p.m. on Sunday.

The girl had been swimming near a pontoon when friends say she went underwater. Deputies say the girl had taken off her personal flotation device while on the ladder of the pontoon. After going underwater, the girl did not resurface.

Several bystander boaters aided in the search until additional crews, equipped with underwater detection equipment, arrived at the scene along with the Lakes Area Dive Team. The dive team located the girl's body at 7:52 p.m. in 23 feet of water.

In a release, the sheriff's office thanked the boaters who assisted with the search. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Minnesota State Patrol, Bemidji Fire Department, and Bemidji Ambulance Service also responded to assist in the search efforts.

The victim is from the Fargo area and was in town visiting friends. Her body was taken to the Midwest Medical Examiner's Office for an autopsy.