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Leaving Canoe, 14-Year-Old Drowns In St. Croix River

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A 14-year-old girl was swept away and drowned in the St. Croix River Sunday while canoeing with her sibling and friends.

The Polk County Sheriff's Office says that Taw Meh, of St. Paul, was south of Interstate Park at about 3:20 p.m. on Sunday when she and her group stopped on a sandbar.

The group rented two canoes at Minnesota Interstate Park in Taylors Falls. They hit the sandbar two miles down river.

Meh waded into the river, not realizing there was a steep drop off.

Taylors Falls Canoe and Kayak rental says everyone in Meh's group was given a life jacket. But the Polk County Sheriff says that while it's not clear if she wore hers in the canoe, she was not wearing it when she walked into the river.

Unable to swim, she was swept away and then under by the current.

The sheriff says no one else in the group was a strong swimmer either.

Dan Raedeke's family has owned the canoe rental shop since 1910, and he says even strong swimmers need to know river currents can be deceptive.

"Always I recommend for people to wear a life jacket," he said.

Meh's body was recovered by divers about 100 feet away.

She was a student at a charter school in St. Paul, where the principal said she would be greatly missed.

On Facebook one friend wrote "rest in peace" and "angel in heaven."

At the Taylors Falls canoe rental, there is heartache as well.

"It's such a sad, tragic thing, and our hearts and prayer go out to the family," Raedeke said.

According to the school principal, Meh's family only recently immigrated to this country.

The Polk County Sheriff said the surviving members of the group did not speak English well. It's not clear if the language barrier contributed to the tragedy in any way.

There were several other boaters in the area who tried to get to Meh, but they were unable to help

Sheriff's deputies along with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, a number of fire teams, and interstate divers all converged on the scene for rescue efforts.

Her body was recovered shortly before 6 p.m.

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