Stillwater Area High School student dies days after falling through ice in Woodbury

A 16-year-old Stillwater Area High School student has died, days after falling through the ice on Woodbury’s Markgrafs Lake.

The victim, identified as Yahye Ali Abdi of Woodbury by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office, fell through the ice along with a 12-year-old girl on Monday afternoon. The girl’s condition was not immediately available Friday.

First responders were called to the lake at 4:29 p.m. Monday after getting a report that someone had gone through the ice, Woodbury police said. After Abdi fell into the water, the 12-year-old went to help him and also fell in.

By the time rescuers arrived, the girl was in the water but hanging onto the ice. A dive team had to rescue Abdi, who died Thursday at M Health Fairview University of Minnesota Medical Center in Minneapolis.

Abdi was described as a “bright, kind, and thoughtful young man” in a GoFundme page raising donations to cover funeral expenses and to build a well for a community in need.

“It’s been a very difficult week in our community and our thoughts and prayers are with the Abdi family,” said Carissa Keister, a spokeswoman for Stillwater Area Public Schools.

According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, 4 inches of clear, newly formed ice may support one person on foot.