Body of Burroughs student identified
Tim Willert
A body discovered Friday in a river near Leavenworth, Wash., was
identified as that of missing John Burroughs High School student
Alisa Belcourt, authorities said Monday.
Alisa, 15, died of asphyxiation due to fresh-water drowning,
Chelan (Wash.) County Coroner Gina Fino said. An autopsy was
performed Saturday to determine the identity of the recovered body.
Alisa disappeared into the Wenatchee River on Aug. 13 after
falling from an inflatable raft during a family outing. She was one
of seven people, mostly family members, who were rafting in the
river. Two of the three rafts flipped in rough water about 1 1/2
miles west of Leavenworth, spilling five people into the river. All
but Alisa were rescued.
Alisa was visiting her father, who lives in Redmond -- a Seattle
suburb -- at the time of the accident. A memorial service was held
Tuesday in Redmond.
A local public service will be at 10 a.m. Friday at St. Charles
Catholic Church, 10834 Moorpark St., North Hollywood. A private
burial will follow at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills.
School administrators and coaches said a tribute to Alisa is being
planned for sometime next month. Alisa, an honor student who would
have turned 16 in October, was a member of the Burroughs junior
varsity volleyball team.