Body of Missing Kayaker Found

On Wednesday afternoon, the Stearns County Emergency Communications Center received a call from a boater on the Mississippi River reporting an overturned kayak.  On Friday, the body of the missing kayaker was located in the Mississippi River. 

He was identified as 39-year-old Donald Richard Worden of St. Cloud. His body was recovered at approximately 6:45 Friday evening.  The Stearns County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call from a boater on the Mississippi River at 6:20 Friday evening near the St. Germain Street bridge reporting what appeared to be a body floating in the water. 

The St. Cloud Fire Department and St. Cloud Police Department responded to the call along with the Sheriff’s Office.  Boats from the St. Cloud Fire Department and Stearns County Sheriff’s Office worked together on the recovery.  An investigator from the Stearns County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene.  The body of Donald Worden was transported to the Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy.