Park drowning victim is student from Nepal

Published 7:45 am Tuesday, April 25, 2017

GARRETSON, S.D. — Authorities have identified the teen who drowned in a South Dakota state park over the weekend as a Minnesota university student from South Asia.

Minnehaha County Sheriff Mike Milstead said Monday the body of 19-year-old Arbin Thapa was recovered in Palisades State Park Sunday morning.

Authorities say Thapa jumped in the water about 5 p.m. Saturday. Milstead says the cold temperature of the water likely contributed to his death. The sheriff says his office has been in touch with Thapa’s family in Nepal. He was a student at Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall.

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