Allegan County Sheriff’s Office announced late Monday night, April 24, that the body of Michael Baird had been found in an area west of 12th Street in Otsego Township.
The search began April 7 for Michael Joseph Baird, 34, of Colorado, last seen April 6 when he went for a walk in downtown Plainwell around 8 p.m., according to family members.
Rescue crews spotted someone in the river and threw lifelines to him twice, but the person was unable to grab hold the first time and didn’t respond the second time.
The sheriff’s office said Baird’s body was found approximately 1.2 miles downstream from the spot where he was last seen.
The office said, “A pathological examination will be conducted to determine the exact cause of death; however, at this time all indications lead investigators to believe this was an accident and that Baird succumbed to cold water temperatures and hydrology leading to his drowning in the river.”
A cadaver dog K-9 team from the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Office found Baird’s body.
It was one of many agencies and teams assisting in the search that began April 7, including dive team members of the Kalamazoo County Recovery Team and the Otsego Fire Department.
High, rapid water has made the river both dangerous for recreational boaters and difficult to search by law enforcement trying to locate Baird.
Sgt. Todd Wagner heads the Allegan County Sheriff’s Office dive team and said the conditions on the river that first weekend were close to the worst possible for divers.
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