Wisconsin Graduate Student Found Dead Mississippi River Sparks Safety Concerns

Eliotte Heinz, a 22-year-old graduate student at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin, was found dead in the Mississippi River near Brownsville, Minnesota, several days after she was last seen walking home from a night out. Her body was discovered by a fisherman floating face down and wrapped in duckweed, more than a dozen miles from her last known location. The cause of death remains unknown pending autopsy results, but local authorities and university officials note that alcohol-related drownings among college students have been a recurring issue in the area, with several similar incidents occurring over the past three decades. Despite the tragic history, local community members describe downtown La Crosse as a relatively safe, vibrant college town where many students walk home or use rideshare services after late nights. The La Crosse Police Department and Heinz's family continue to investigate and have urged the public to share any information or surveillance footage from the night of her disappearance. Viterbo University plans to hold a memorial service this fall, highlighting the community's grief and the ongoing conversation about student safety and prevention efforts near the river.