Brooke Baures, a college student and popular gymnast at Winona State University, was found dead this week in a dumbwaiter at the restaurant where she worked in what police are calling a bizarre workplace accident.
Baures, a 21-year-old senior at the Minnesota school, was found dead Monday in the food-service elevator at WingDam Saloon in
Fountain City, Wisconsin, the Winona Daily News reported. It's not clear why or how she had entered the dumbwaiter, but police said they do not suspect foul play or criminal activity.
Police told WCCO.com that the elevator's opening is only 3 feet by 3 feet.
Becki Rolbiecki, the gymnastics coach at Winona State, told the station said that Baures was named All-American for three years at the university.
"She's one of those once-in-a-lifetime athletes," Rolbiecki said. "Her work ethic inspired everybody in the gym because she just went all out and gave her all every practice."
She said Baures, who was majoring in social work, had decided to pursue an internship and work part-time her senior year as she prepared for life outside of college.
"Awesome team person, you know," Rolbiecki said. "Very compassionate and caring person, a good listener, a good friend, a good mentor. We had lots of conversations and lots of discussions about life and love and wishes and dreams and hopes."
Winona State University athletic director Eric Schoh said he met with the gymnastics team before they visited the Baures family.
"A lot of tears, a lot of hang-in-there's, a lot of thoughts and prayers and a lot of hugs," Schoh told WCCO.
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