North Idaho woman dies trying to save animal on Lake Coeur d’Alene

A 77-year-old woman died Tuesday after trying to save an animal on the ice in Kootenai County, deputies say.

Around 3:15 p.m., Kootenai County deputies responded to a report that a person had fallen through ice around Harlow Point on Lake Coeur d’Alene, near Harrison, according to a Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office news release.

The caller told deputies that it seemed the woman had gone onto the ice to rescue a dog or other animal. The caller and other people nearby tried to help the woman out of the water with ropes and a canoe but couldn’t, according to the release.

When firefighters and the Kootenai County Dive Rescue Team arrived, they found the woman unconscious. After pulling her out, they tried CPR. She was pronounced dead at the scene, the release said.

Deputies identified the woman as 77-year-old Leslie G. Daniels from near Harrison, the release said.

With the current snow and fluctuating temperatures, ice on local lakes may become thin, the release said. If an animal falls through the ice or is trapped on it, Sheriff Robert Norris asked that people call the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office for help.