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Girl, 14, dies at Calamus |
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Thursday, 04 September 2008 |
• Death is first fatality at state lake
• Wind gusts create dangerous conditions
By MISTY DELASHMUTT
Special to the Chief
BURWELL -- A Labor Day weekend camping trip turned tragic for a northeast Nebraska family on Sunday, Aug. 31 at the Calamus Reservoir State Recreation Area.
The body of a Battle Creek girl was found late Monday evening after approximately 30 hours of searching by state and local officials at the Calamus Reservoir near Burwell.
Dakota Moler, age 14, was last seen swimming with friends Sunday afternoon when she disappeared in the choppy waters west of the Homestead Knolls boat ramp.
The location was not a designated swimming area.
Moler's body was found by a member of the Burwell Volunteer Fire and Rescue department in the water near the shore at approximately 9:20 Monday evening.
Area rescue teams responded at approximately 3:24 p.m. Sunday to a 911 call at the Calamus Reservoir. Dive teams from Burwell and Kearney were dispatched shortly after to assist in the search for the girl west of the Homestead Knolls boat dock located on the north side of the reservoir.
Local law enforcement officers maintained a constant vigil throughout the night Sunday. Monday the Homestead Knolls boat ramp and shoreline area was closed to facilitate the continuing search effort.
According to sources aiding in the search, a Nebraska State Patrol helicopter was dispatched Monday afternoon for aerial search of the shoreline and Nebraska Game and Parks officials had began a bottom search of the area near where the girl was last seen.
Weather conditions at the reservoir may have been a factor in the girl's disappearance. South winds gusting as high as 30 mph at the reservoir created dangerous water conditions.
Galen Ellingson, of Broken Bow, camping at the Calamus Saturday described the conditions. "It was very, very windy and there were a lot of white caps on the lake,” he said. “I don't know why anyone was out there, the water was too choppy."
Moler's death was the first fatality recorded at the Calamus Reservoir since the official opening in May of 1986. |
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 11 September 2008 )
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Huskers.com
