Iowa Sheriff Recovers Teacher, Student Bodies From Lake MacBride

The bodies of a fifth-grade teacher and one of her students have been recovered from the water at Lake MacBride State Park in Iowa. Both died during a school field trip, the Johnson County Sheriff's Office said, according to NBC News.

The teacher was 24-year-old Hannah Jorgensen of Tiffin. The student was 10-year-old Ahmed Osman of Iowa City. Both were connected to Borlaug Elementary School in the Iowa City Community School District.

What happened at Lake MacBride State Park?

The Johnson County Sheriff's Office responded Tuesday afternoon to reports of people in the water near the Coralville Reservoir, a portion of Lake MacBride State Park, NBC News reported, citing a sheriff's office news release. Jorgensen's body was pulled from the water around 12:43 p.m. Tuesday. Deputies then launched a search for Osman, who was reported missing.

Osman was found dead Wednesday, authorities said in an update cited by NBC News. The sheriff's office said the incident remains under investigation. No cause has been released.

Who were the victims?

Jorgensen taught fifth grade at Borlaug Elementary School. Osman was a fifth-grade student there. NBC affiliate KWWL of Waterloo, Iowa, reported that Borlaug fifth graders were on a "School of the Wild Field Trip" when the incident occurred, according to NBC News.

Key facts

• Teacher: Hannah Jorgensen, 24, of Tiffin
• Student: Ahmed Osman, 10, of Iowa City
• Location: Coralville Reservoir, Lake MacBride State Park
• Jorgensen recovered: Tuesday, roughly 12:43 p.m.
• Osman recovered: Wednesday

What has the school district said?

The Iowa City Community School District confirmed both deaths in a Facebook post Thursday, according to NBC News. "Our hearts are shattered by the loss of two beloved members of our Borlaug Elementary family, fifth-grade teacher Hannah Jorgensen and fifth-grade student Ahmed Osman," the district said. "There are simply no words that can adequately express the depth of this loss."

The district said Jorgensen and Osman "were so much more than members of our school community. They were a teacher and student, a colleague and classmate, a friend, and most importantly, deeply loved members of their families."

The statement continued: "Their absence will be felt in the classrooms and hallways of Borlaug, in the lives of those who loved them, and throughout our entire school district community. We will remember Hannah. We will remember Ahmed. And we will carry their memory with us."

Norman Borlaug Elementary School posted separately, thanking the community for its support. "Our building is hurting right now, and so are our hearts," the school said, according to NBC News. "But knowing that you are all here for us, standing beside us, checking in, and lifting us up. It means more than we can put into words."

What happens next in the investigation?

The Johnson County Sheriff's Office said the incident remains under investigation. No further details on how the drowning occurred, water conditions, or supervision during the field trip have been released. NBC News has not reported a timeline for when findings might be made public.

The Iowa River near Lake MacBride was the site of an emergency response and search effort involving personnel from multiple agencies, according to a photo caption from the USA Today Network distributed by Reuters and published alongside the NBC News report.

Why does this matter for school field trips?

The deaths raise questions common to any water-adjacent school outing: what supervision ratios, water-safety briefings, or restricted zones were in place before students entered or approached the reservoir. Neither the sheriff's office nor the school district has released those operational details as of the most recent update cited by NBC News.

Parents and staff in the Iowa City Community School District have been directed to district and school statements for updates. The sheriff's office has not indicated when the investigation will conclude or whether findings will be released publicly.

This is a developing story. HTT News will update as the Johnson County Sheriff's Office and the Iowa City Community School District release additional information.