Body in lagoon identified as Edina woman

Authorities have identified a 20-year-old woman whose body was found in a lagoon connecting Lake of the Isles and Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis.

Melissa D. Dols of Edina drowned, according to the Hennepin County medical examiner's office. Her body, clothed and partly submerged, was found 24 feet from the lagoon's north shore by a city worker about 10 a.m. Sunday.

According to the medical examiner's office, Dols was last seen at the north shore on Thursday. The manner of her death is still under investigation, though police have said there is no indication of foul play.

TOM FORD

Edina Family Grieves After Daughter's Death

Heather Brown
Reporting

(WCCO) Minneapolis On Sunday morning, 20-year-old Melissa Dols' body was found in the Minneapolis canal that connects Lake of the Isles with Lake Calhoun. The medical examiner said she drowned.

"Of the whole family, she had the most rambunctious personality of the whole family," said Melissa's mother, Donna Dols.

The Dols say they knew something wasn't right on Saturday. Melissa had missed two days of work and her boyfriend hadn't heard from her.

"I had the intuition that this was not going to be Ok," Donna Dols said.

They couldn't sleep, so early Sunday morning, Robert Dols, Melissa's father, rode the bike trails from her work in Uptown to their home in Edina.

"I didn't see anything. I wasn't looking for anybody in the lake. I wasn't looking for Melissa in the lake. I was looking for her bike. I didn't find anything," he said.

Five hours later, Melissa's body was found by a city worker. Police said she'd been in the water for days and was probably drinking alcohol before she died.

"It just breaks our heart that it all ended for her here," Donna said.

The Dols said Melissa loved the lake and would often stop there on her way home from work. Police said they've interviewed three people who were hanging out in the woods near the lake with the woman before she died.

Apparently, they didn't know each other.

Police don't think there was foul play, but don't know what exactly happened. They say Melissa may have fallen in or jumped in the water. Investigators are waiting for toxicology reports that will be available in four to six weeks.

She was found fully clothed, with her shoes still on, Donna said.

There are still questions of how she ended up in the water and if any of those people she was with saw anything.

Robert wondered if anyone did see her struggling, why they didn't help out or say anything to authorities.

Melissa's funeral will be held at noon on Friday at the Washburn-McReavy Funeral Chapels in Hopkins, Minn. She leaves behind two brothers and two sisters.

"She was very loved and we are tremendously missing her right now," Donna Dols said.