Missing Wayzata teen found in Temperance River

The body of an 18-year-old Wayzata man who drowned in the Temperance River near Tofte in northeastern Minnesota was pulled from the water Monday afternoon, authorities said.

Searchers had worked under difficult conditions Saturday night and Sunday to find Alec Paul Bertil Lawrenz, a 2016 graduate of Benilde-St. Margaret's school in St. Louis Park.

Authorities received a 911 call about 8:30 p.m. Saturday that a person had fallen into a gorge in the river, the Cook County Sheriff's Office said. The man "went through the strong current under a bridge and did not resurface," a news release said.

The death is being investigated, but no foul play is suspected, the Sheriff's Office said.

Lawrenz was on a camping trip with friends when he drowned. On Monday, Benilde-St. Margaret said, "He was a wonderful young man, full of life, kind and compassionate. We are incredibly saddened by this tragic accident, and as a faith community, we rely on the power of prayer to help us. Our love and prayers go out to Alec's family, the class of 2016 and the entire BSM community."

Efforts to recover the body were hampered by the strong currents, limited visibility under the water and the debris in the water, said Cook County Sheriff Pat Eliasen.

Temperance River State Park is a popular stop on the North Shore. It has been the site of at least seven other fatal incidents since the mid-1990s, the Duluth News Tribune reported.

Tim Harlow • 612-673-7768