A body was found in the Des Moines River on Friday, April 10, the fourth in just two months.
Someone called police to report a body in the river near East 14th Street just before noon, according to a news release from police spokesperson Sgt. Paul Parizek.
First responders confirmed the presence of a dead person in the river upon arrival at the scene, Parizek said.
Police will conduct a death investigation once the body is recovered from the river.
Fourth body found in Des Moines River
On Feb. 27, boaters reported a body near the Harriet Street boat ramp. The man was later identified as Dut Makuet, 29, a Des Moines resident who had been missing since December. Police said there was no evidence of criminal activity and that Makuet “likely entered the river intentionally.”
On March 9, a second body was found near the Second Avenue bridge in the Union Park neighborhood. That man was identified as Luis Cruz Baltazar, 44, of Des Moines. Police said there were no obvious indications of trauma or criminal activity, and the department is still awaiting forensic confirmation on the cause of death.
On March 31, a third body was found in the river near Principal Park. The man was identified as Abraham Aguilar, 20, of Des Moines, who was missing since Feb. 17.
Why have there been so many bodies in the Des Moines River?
Parizek told the Register that environmental factors, like recent rain and high winds, contribute to the number of bodies found in recent months.
“Water levels rise and the current picks up,” Parizek said. “A person who might have gone into the river months ago breaks loose, and they get snagged on something close to the bank, and somebody sees them. There’s really no solid answer other than it’s just nature.”
Parizek said there is no evidence of criminal activity contributing to deaths, but the number found is “more than usual.”
“So far this year, we know that there have been people who have gone into the river intentionally with the thought of committing suicide. Others may be accidents, and others we may not have an answer for,” Parizek said. “But we do know that up to this point, none of them have had any indicator of any criminal activity contributing to their death.”
Kyle Werner is the breaking news and public safety reporter for the Register. Reach him at kwerner@registermedia.com.
This story was updated to add more information.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: DMPD investigating fourth body found in Des Moines River in two months
Reporting by Kyle Werner, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
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