A day on the water turned tragic on May 12, 2026, when a paddleboat carrying three University of Minnesota Morris students capsized on Little Emily Lake in Crow Wing County. Nineteen-year-old Cameron Walker drowned after the small boat flipped near Little Emily Lake Park. Lake residents and first responders launched a multi-agency search, pulling two women from the water and treating one for cold exposure. Dive teams later recovered Walker's body from roughly 23 feet of water.
The Crow Wing County Sheriff's Office identified the victim as Cameron Walker and named the two women as 20-year-old Katelynn Davids and 22-year-old Paris Redthunder, according to the Crow Wing County Sheriff's Office. The county's release says dispatchers received a 911 call at about 12:31 p.m. reporting that a paddleboat had capsized, and the call was then unexpectedly disconnected. "Please keep the families of all involved in your prayers as they go through this very difficult traumatic time," the sheriff's statement said.
How the rescue unfolded
KSTP reports that first responders reached the area near Little Emily Lake Park and found the two women close to shore. Crews quickly began coordinated dive and boat search operations in deeper water. Neighbors and lake residents joined in the effort, helping search the lake while emergency teams focused on the underwater recovery.
Who responded
According to the Crow Wing County Sheriff's Office, the department's Boat and Water personnel and dive team led the response. They were assisted by the Emily and Crosslake fire departments, Minnesota DNR enforcement, Crosslake Police, Crosby Ambulance and the Crow Wing County Drone Team. Officials publicly thanked residents who stepped in to help on scene and noted that the investigation into what caused the paddleboat to capsize is still active. No additional details about the circumstances leading up to the accident have been released.
Boating safety and cold-water risks
As the weather warms and more people head to the lake, officials are again pushing basic safety reminders. The Minnesota DNR stresses that wearing a U.S. Coast Guard–approved life jacket significantly improves survival chances in a capsize or fall overboard, and that sudden cold-water immersion can quickly overwhelm even strong swimmers, according to the Minnesota DNR. State rules require children under 10 to wear properly fitted life jackets while a boat is underway, and the agency encourages everyone to file a float plan and check conditions before heading out. Seasonal outreach often focuses on preventing capsizes on small craft like paddleboats and reminding people to actually wear their PFDs, not just stash them under a seat.
A GoFundMe has been set up to support Walker's family, KSTP reports. Officials say the investigation remains ongoing and are asking anyone with information or relevant video footage from the area to contact the Crow Wing County Sheriff's Office, according to CBS Minnesota. As the community grieves, the sheriff's office has again thanked residents and emergency crews for their quick response on the lake.
