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.