Boy drowns in Clearwater County

I first started at the Bemidji (Minn.) Pioneer as an intern in the summer of 1996. That would begin six years as a news reporter, sports reporter and copy editor for a small, six-day-per-week daily newspaper in northern Minnesota. I wrote a large range of stories from multiple beats, to features to sports, my favorite being the coverage of the Red Lake Reservation High School basketball team named the Warriors. Here is a collection of my stories from my time at the Pioneer.

Aug. 21, 2001

By Devlyn Brooks

Staff Writer

A 3-year-old Gonvick boy drown in a northern Clearwater County lake on Sunday, according to the Clearwater County Sheriff's Department.

Alex Kleppe, the son of Arne and Carol Kleppe of rural Gonvick, died after falling into Six Lake, which is located several miles southwest of Clearbrook, the sheriff's department reported.

According to a sheriff's dispatcher, the sheriff's department received an emergency call at 11:23 a.m. Sunday from the David Carlson residence that a child had drown in a lake on that farm.

Clearbrook fire and rescue, Clearwater County ambulance and sheriff's department personnel responded to the call.

The child was transported to Clearwater Memorial Hospital in Bagley, but efforts to revive the child were unsuccessful. He was pronounced dead at the hospital, according to the sheriff's department.

Six Lake is located at the junction of Clearwater County Roads 73 and 6 in Pine Lake Township, several miles southwest of Clearbrook. Clearbrook is located about 15 miles north of Bagley.

No further information was available Monday.