September 15, 2020
Body of Watford teen recovered from Yellowstone River
By Ashleigh Plemper
Farmer Staff Writer
Hearts are heavy throughout McKenzie County after a five-day search came to an end on Sept. 9, as the body of Ira Lawrence, a 13-year-old boy from Watford City, was recovered from the Yellowstone River following a search by the Richland County Sheriff’s Department.
“At about 1:05 p.m., we got a call of a missing swimmer in the location of the Yellowstone River south of what’s known as Richland Park,” says Bob Burnison, Richland County under-sheriff.
What began as an outdoor birthday party on Sept. 5, went terribly wrong after a group of young boys unexpectedly got caught in a current while they were swimming.