MAHNOMEN — A 36-year-old Mahnomen woman died Wednesday morning, July 29, after she was found submerged inside a car in a small lake in rural Mahnomen County.
The Mahnomen County Sheriff’s Office reported dispatchers received a 911 call at 7:30 a.m. reporting a car went off the road and a woman was trapped inside on County Road 3, south of Highway 200.
Responders from several area agencies used a winch line on a fire truck to pull the car from the water and found the woman later identified as Kaylee Smith inside.
Sheriff's deputies, White Earth police and conservation officers, and the Mahnomen, Waubun and Twin Lakes fire departments responded to the scene. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
Smith was an employee in the human resources department of the White Earth Nation, according to its website. The human resources department announced on social media within hours of Smith's death that it would be closed for the day. A separate post provided resources to people in times of loss.
"We want to remind everyone that caring for yourselves is just as important as caring for our community, the post stated. "Please take time to check in with one another, lean on your support systems, and practice self-care. Everyone experiences grief and difficult events differently, and it's important to remember that it's okay to ask for help."
Resources
Local
- White Earth Mental Health: 218-983-6325
- WEMH/Becker County Crisis Line: 218-850-HELP
- White Earth Crisis Team: Critical Incident Stress Debriefings are available for departments and teams, either in person or virtually through Microsoft Teams. To schedule a debriefing, please contact Nancy Samura, MHP, Interim Crisis Program Manager.
State and national
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988 (available 24/7)
- Mental Health Minnesota Warmline: Call 651-288-0400 or 855-927-6546, or text "Support" to 85511
- Peer Support Connection Minnesota Warmline: Call or text 844-739-6369
- Safe Call Now: Confidential support for first responders, healthcare professionals, and their families. Call 206-459-3020 (available 24/7)
- Frontline Helpline: Support for healthcare and frontline workers. Call 866-676-7500 (available 24/7)
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