17-year-old girl who drowned in Snoqualmie River identified



NORTH BEND, Wash. -- A 17-year-old girl  who drowned in the Snoqualmie River was identified Thursday as Samantha W. Spigel.

The King County Medical Examiner's Office ruled it a case of accidental drowning.

Her body was recovered in the north fork of the Snoqualmie River on Wednesday afternoon.

According to the King County Sheriff’s Office, the 911 call came in just after 4 p.m. Wednesday. The teen had been swimming with friends in a popular spot below a waterfall in the north fork of the Snoqualmie River. Both the KCSO and the Eastside Firefighters responded, but soon learned this would be a recovery -- not a rescue.

Sgt. Mark Rorvik said it did not appear she was wearing a life jacket. He said the water can be unpredictable in this spot and cold even on a hot day like it was Wednesday.

The rescue team had to hike 15 minutes just to get to the base of the falls, where this incident happened.