Hennepin Co. Sheriff's Office investigating two water deaths over the unusually warm weekend

A boy's body was recovered from the Mississippi River in Minneapolis Saturday near the area where a man fell through the ice less than 24 hours earlier, according to the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office.

Members of the county's Water Patrol Unit responded to the incident near the University of Minnesota around 4 p.m. on Friday. The sheriff's office said a woman fell through the ice after going onto the river to try to help the man.   

The woman made it back to shore and was taken to the hospital as a precaution for cold-weather exposure, according to the sheriff's office.  

Officials said water patrol members unsuccessfully tried to find the man on Friday evening using sonar equipment. Members of the Minneapolis police and fire departments also attempted to look for him.   

Law enforcement suspended their search on Friday night and resumed efforts on Saturday at 8 a.m., the sheriff's office said. They again used sonar equipment and found the body, around 75 feet from where the man went through the ice, in around 9 feet of water. 

According to the sheriff's office, the body was secured around 11:45 a.m. using an underwater remotely operated vehicle with a camera. The Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office is working to identify the body and exact cause of death.

About two hours after this recovery, the same crew was called to Bass Pond in Bloomington on reports of a child that had gone underwater. They used air boats and multiple sonars to search for a boy who fell through the thin ice into the water. 

After two hours of searching, they found him deceased in 8 feet of water. An adult man was rescued nearby, clinging to ice above water.

The investigation into both drownings is ongoing, the sheriff's office said.  

The Water Patrol urges people to follow these ice safety tips:

• Only walk on ice that is at least 4 inches thick.
• For skating, physically check the ice with a chisel or drill.
• If you break through the ice, don't panic. Try to turn around and get out the same direction you came from.
• Avoid any place where water is moving under the ice.
• Always check ice conditions before going out. Your local bait shop will have that information or you can call Hennepin County Water Patrol directly.

NOTE: The attached video first aired on Feb. 13, 2026.