Investigation continues in drowning death of girl at a Minnesota state park
Witnesses to a drowning death of a 9-year-old girl in northwest Minnesota this week are questioning whether enough was done to try and save the child.
Grace Elizabeth Bettie, a 9 year old from Moorhead, died at Buffalo River State Park in Glyndon when she was pulled from the water unresponsive at approximately 4 p.m. on Wednesday.
The incident happened in the swimming area of the park and lifeguards were on-duty.
The City of Moorhead revealed Thursday that the girl was participating in the Moorhead Police Summer Youth Program, with that day's activities featuring swimming and crafts at the park.
Two women who witnessed the incident told the Fargo Forum that they don't think chaperones, lifeguards and police officers watching the kids reacted appropriately when first learning that the girl was missing.
One of the witnesses explained to the newspaper that she saw a girl waving at an adult saying her friend was in the water, but that the first areas park rangers searched were along trails. It wasn't until 17 minutes later, the witness said, that lifeguards entered the water and found the girl.
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What's unclear in the Fargo Forum story is whether anyone other than the witness saw the girl waving down an adult.
The Clay County Sheriff's Department is investigation the accident.
