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Summit County Coroner identifies teen who drowned at Green Mountain Reservoir

Alli Langley
alangley@summitdaily.com
Rescue crews responded to Green Mountain Reservoir Saturday, Aug. 22, after Jefte Flores, 16, of Frisco, disappeared beneath the water around 2 p.m. The Summit County Coroner's Office ruled the cause of death as asphyxiation by drowning and called Flores' death a tragic swimming accident.
Special to the Daily |

The Summit County Coroner’s Office on Sunday, Aug. 23, released the name of the teen who drowned Saturday at Green Mountain Reservoir.

Jefte Flores, 16, of Frisco, was a junior at Summit High School.

“We are just devastated by this loss and feel so very sad for the family and friends and for our school community,” said Julie McCluskie, Summit School District’s director of communications and community engagement.



District leaders met with school psychologists and local partner organizations — Mind Springs Health, Summit Community Care Clinic’s School Based Health Center and Advocates for Victims of Assault — on Sunday to arrange how to provide support to students, parents, teachers and school staff members.

“We are just devastated by this loss and feel so very sad for the family and friends and for our school community.”Julie McCluskie Summit School District’s director of communications and community engagement

Therapists and counselors will be at Summit High School on Monday as students arrive for their first day of school for the year and will be available throughout the week to help. McCluskie said the high school will also have a place for students to gather Monday morning and share pictures, write and talk.



The district is distributing information to families and staff members from the National Association of School Psychologists about coping with death, signs and symptoms of grief at different age levels and tips for how to support friends and classmates. Adults and students are encouraged to talk about the loss and their reactions to it.

They should also be alert to signs that warrant talking to a trained mental-health professional, including severe loss of interest in daily activities, disruption in ability to eat or sleep, school refusal, fear of being alone, repeated wish to join the deceased, severe drop in school achievement and suicidal references or behavior.

On Saturday afternoon, rescue crews were called to search for Flores after he disappeared beneath the water’s surface.

He reportedly chased a ball into the water from near the Willow Springs campground at the northern end of the reservoir, began struggling and went under water at about 2 p.m. People near him immediately tried to help but were unable to find the teen.

Lake Dillon Fire-Rescue responded to the scene along with Summit County Sheriff’s officers, the Summit County Water Rescue Team, Summit County Ambulance, Grand County Sheriff’s officers and Grand County EMS.

Flores was the second Summit student to die this year, following the loss of Marco Reifsteck, a senior who died just before graduation in May.

School board president Margaret Carlson said, “Our hearts go out to all the families in Summit County.”

McCluskie encouraged any individuals or families who feel they need help to call the Mind Springs Health 24/7 crisis hotline at (888) 207-4004, and anyone with questions about the supports provided by the school district can call (970) 368-1000.


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