A six-year-old boy died after falling through ice and drowning west of Finlayson.

According to the press release, the Aitkin County Sheriff’s Department received a report of a six-year-old who had fallen through the ice in rural McGrath. The location was near a dock on a small lake usually meant for ice skating. The lake was not covered with snow.

A family member pulled the boy from the waist-deep water. He was not breathing and CPR was administered.

Multiple agencies were dispatched to the location. Due to an approximate 14 inches of snow, response problems were compounded. A snowmobile was required to transport the boy to an ambulance. Life-saving efforts were continued, but the boy was ultimately pronounced dead in the emergency room.

The Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed the cause of death to be freshwater drowning. The name of the victim will not be released until family notification is completed.

By — Mary Balstad