12-Year-Old Minnesota Girl Dies In Apparent Drowning

ALEXANDRIA, MN — A 12-year-old girl from central Minnesota died last week in an apparent drowning near Alexandria. JaLysa Cook, 12, was longboarding, a form of skatebording, near the Central Lakes Trail before the incident took place.

On April 28 at 5:32 p.m., the Douglas County Sheriff's Office was notified about a juvenile female that was in the water channel between Lakes Cowdry and Darling. Search efforts began immediately in the water and on the shore with further assistance from the Douglas County Sheriff's Office Dive Rescue Team.

Authorities say the female was located at about 6:10 p.m. in about three feet of water and CPR was begun immediately. She was transported by North Ambulance to the Douglas County Hospital, but life-saving efforts were unsuccessful, according to a news release.

Cook was with another girl and longboarding before the incident took place, her mother, Amanda Rustman, told the Pioneer Press. Cook was transported to the Midwest Medical Examiner's Office for an autopsy. This incident remains under investigation.

A GoFundMe page was established to help Cook's family finance the cost of the funeral:

On April 28, 2017 the Rustman/Cook family suffered an unimaginable loss. Beautiful, sweet, kind, silly, adorable, joyful and loving JaLysa Cook passed away in a drowning accident near Alexandria, MN. She was her mom's best friend, her daddy's little girl, her brother's adoring little sister. This has devastated her family both emotionally and financially.

We want Jeremy, Amanda, Cheyne and Casey to be able to focus on their own healing from their devastating loss rather than be burdened with worrying about the costs of a funeral.Jeremy and Mandy were already in rough shape financially due to a recent auto accident that left Jeremy severely injured. His broken back and pain has prevented him from returning to work while he heals.

Image via GoFundMe