The Cass County Sheriff’s Office this (Thursday) morning, identified the victim of a drowning Wednesday night in the Nishnabotna River, near Lewis. Sheriff Darby McLaren said the woman was 31-year old Nicole Roberts, of Lewis. Roberts was last seen at around 9-p.m. in the river, just south of the “rock cut,” a popular picnic area along the West Nishnabotna River near Cold Springs Park, Southwest of Lewis.

The Cass County 9-1-1 Center received a 9-1-1 call at 9:14-p.m. Wednesday, from a person who reported a possible drowning. Divers from the Midwest Regional Dive Team responded, and recovered Roberts’ body at 11:24-p.m. Memorial services for Nichole Roberts will be held 11-a.m. Monday, July 9th, in the chapel at Hockenberry Family Care Funeral Home, in Atlantic.

Authorities in Cass County do not recommend persons swim in the river area of the rock cut. The currents are very unpredictable, and the river is very deep at that location. The area is over three-quarters of a mile from the nearest access road, which makes access to the area by emergency responders, problematic.

Responding to the scene of the incident Wednesday night, was: The Cass County Sheriff’s Office; Lewis, Griswold and Atlantic Fire Departments; Griswold Rescue; Medivac Paramedic Ambulance; Cass County Emergency Management; the Iowa State Patrol, and the Midwest Regional Dive Team. The team consists of members from Cass and Ringgold Counties, along with personnel from the Red Oak and Clarinda Dive Teams.