SPIRIT LAKE, Idaho – Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane confirms the teen pulled from Spirit Lake Wednesday has died. A.J. Marksworth was 16.
Witnesses called 911 around 4:30 p.m. Wednesday about a possible drowning.
The Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office said August J. (A.J) Marksworth, 16, teenager and Nathan T Thiers, 15, attempted to wade across the mill pond area of Spirit Lake.
Authorities said most of the area is four to five feet deep, but parts of the pond are as deep as eight feet. As the two boys made their way across the lake, Marksworth stepped into a deep portion of water. According to family members, Marksworth is not a good swimmer.
Authorities said Thiers tried to pull Marksworth to shallower water, but after 30 yards, both boys became tired and let go of each other. Marksworth then sank to the bottom.
A kayaker managed to pull Thiers out of the water in a matter of four minutes and they alerted authorities. As soon as a deputy arrived on scene, they dove into the water, recovered Marksworth, and transferred him into a fire boat. It is unclear how long Marksworth was under water. Emergency crews said they immediately started to perform CPR on the boy.
Marksworth was transported to Sacred Heart Medical Center by Medstar in critical condition. Thiers was treated and released at Kootenai Medical Center.
