Chaska Pond, Minnesota: 2 Bodies Found During Search For Missing Somali Women

Two bodies and a car were pulled from a murky pond in Chaska, Minnesota, on Sunday night during a search for two young Somali women from Shakopee who went missing early Saturday.

Bushra Abdi and Zenyab Abdalla, both 19 years old, went missing Saturday after they left their individual workplaces — one in Shakopee and one in Chaska — after the night shift. According to their families, both used to meat usually in the Chaska area on their breaks, CBS Local reported.

Although officials did not officially identify the recovered bodies, they believe they are those of the missing girls. Police have also informed their family members. The authorities did not confirm whether the silver car found in the swamp was the car the girls were in when they were reported missing. Family members said no foul play was suspected.

On Sunday evening, officials set up a tent to shelter family members at the scene and urged others to go home as the recovery operation could go on overnight. However, dozens remained on the site near Engler Boulevard and Highway 41 and after a while, the divers located a car. Police and firefighters later announced via loudspeaker that they found two bodies, Star Tribune reported.

According to Habsa Abdi, Bushra’s sister, the two were last seen in a 2006 gray Chevrolet Impala that belongs to one of their families. Zeynab picked up Bushra from her workplace and their last known contact with anyone came during a call to police for help from one of their cell phones Saturday. The call was traced near the area of Highway 212 and County Road 41.

The Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MN) issued a missing persons alert for Bushra and Zeynab on Sunday. Rahma Abdalla, Zeynab’s oldest sister, said the community members gathered at the Chaska Event Center on Sunday where they launched a search for the two on foot and in cars. Later, they noticed tire tracks leading to the pond and shifted the focus to that area.

The Chaska Police Department had earlier thanked the CAIR-MN and said they were “appreciative and supportive of the CAIR-MN.”

“Public appeal for any information that anyone can offer in this matter,” the department had said urged anyone with information on the whereabouts of the two to contact Shakopee police at (952) 233-9400.