Body Found In Zumbro River In Downtown Rochester
ROCHESTER, Minn. (AP) -- A practice session for the Olmsted County sheriff's dive team turned into a death investigation Sunday after a body was discovered near a Zumbro River pedestrian bridge, police said.
The body of an adult female in her 40s was found after divers noticed something floating in the river in the morning, Rochester police Lt. Bruce Sherden told the Post-Bulletin. The death appeared to be "very recent," he said.
Authorities have identified the woman but weren't releasing her name until family members could be contacted, Sherden said. An autopsy was planned for Monday.
Sherden said late Sunday that it was still too soon to determine whether foul play was involved. He said investigators are trying to determine the events that led to her death.
Justin Colbenson, 35, who lives near the area where the body was found, said the dive team practiced in the same area last weekend so he wasn't surprised when he saw the team by the river around 9:30 a.m. Sunday.
"Then a police officer came zipping down the road, and another came flying behind the civic center," he said.
Lana Sullivan, 32, who lives with Colbenson near the river, said the body was floating face down about 7 feet to 8 feet from shore and was removed from the water about 11 a.m. Sunday.
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