17-year-old jumps off 10-foot cliff and drowns at nature preserve, Minnesota cops say

A 17-year-old boy drowned in a popular swimming hole at a Minnesota nature preserve, authorities say.

The teen, whose identity has not been publicly disclosed, did not resurface when he jumped off a 10-foot cliff into the water at Quarry Park and Nature Preserve, the Stearns County Sheriff’s Office said of the July 9 incident.

Witnesses jumped into the water to look for the teen, but they were unable to find him, the sheriff said.

Authorities said a diving team found the boy’s body more than four hours later in 31 feet of water.

Quarry 11, where the incident occurred, features “shorter jumping cliffs that are great for kids and families,” St. Cloud officials say. The park is considered a “hotspot for families and thrill seekers” during the summer.

There are no lifeguards on duty at the quarry’s swimming holes, according to Stearns County Parks.

Stearns County is about a 90-mile drive northwest from Minneapolis.

This story was originally published July 10, 2024 at 3:09 PM with the headline "17-year-old jumps off 10-foot cliff and drowns at nature preserve, Minnesota cops say."