The body of a 24-year-old woman who went missing over a year ago on Lake Washington was found by a private company hired by her family, according to Seattle police.
Bethlehem Teshome Lemma was last seen alive in May 2024, when a 911 caller reported a person in distress on the lake near Martha Washington Park in South Seattle, according to the Seattle Fire Department.
On Saturday, Seattle Harbor Patrol responded to Lake Washington for a body recovery after the body was found resting on the lake bottom by a private company using sonar, according to the Police Department. The company was hired by Lemma's family.
The King County medical examiner's office identified the body as Lemma on Thursday and determined her cause of death was drowning.
A 48-year-old man was arrested for investigation of boating under the influence, according to a police report. Officers were told that Lemma was on the back of the boat and fell off, according to the report. The man reportedly said Lemma jumped" off the back of the boat without a life vest.
The Seattle Times typically does not name people unless they have been charged by prosecutors with a crime.
In June, Lemma's family filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against the man, alleging he didn't give Lemma a life vest and "operated his boat in an unsafe manner," causing Lemma to "fall into the frigid water.
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