Body found near Hauser Lake; death called ‘suspicious’

Kootenai County Sheriff’s deputies found a dead person partially submerged in a slough near Hauser Lake this afternoon. Detectives characterized the death as suspicious. The body was discovered after deputies responded to a reported drowning around 2 p.m. on the west end of Hauser Lake, off Hauser Lake Road near Newman Arm Road, the sheriff’s office said. The deputies “located an obviously deceased individual in the slough on the west side of Hauser Lake Road,” stated a sheriff’s news release. Detectives were not releasing further details, including the victim’s gender or approximate age, as the investigation is in the preliminary stages. They did note that the individual’s death was suspicious. Hauser Lake Road south of Newman Arm Road to Paddlewheel Road is closed while detectives process the scene.