Girl Who Drowned In River Outside St. Louis Identified

The father of a teenage girl who drowned last week in a river at a state park outside of St. Louis has identified her.

Karl Wrice told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that his 16-year-old daughter, Kara Wrice, drowned in the Meramec River in Castlewood State Park on Friday. Searchers found the teen's body hours after she went under the water and never resurfaced.

A St. Louis County Police spokesperson said the girl was at the site with a group of other people when she was reported missing after swimming.

Her father says Kara was a straight-A student and a junior at Webster Groves High School who played volleyball, worked as a lifeguard and had worked as a model since she was 14.

According to the St. Louis Post Dispatch, Kara signed  a contract with Mother Model two years ago, and was a professional model for Famous Footwear.

On Friday, she was reportedly drinking with a friend before she drowned. Heavy rains in the area increased the risk for swimmers, according to St. Louis County Police.