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N.D. (AP) – A preliminary autopsy has found that a 53-year-old rural Steele County woman found dead in a ravine died of drowning.

Rhonda Gjesdal (JESS’-dahl) of rural Luverne was found Saturday in one to two feet of water about 200 yards from her farmstead.

Sheriff Wayne Beckman says Rhonda Gjesdal left her farmstead Thursday en route to Wahpeton. Her car was found Saturday at the bottom of a ravine about a mile from her farmstead.

Beckman says it appears she went into the ditch Thursday night and walked the ravine area for quite some time. He says it was very muddy at the bottom of the ravine and she may have been exhausted from her walk. He says the preliminary autopsy shows no signs of foul play.Steele County Sheriff Wayne Beckman says a 53 year-old Cooperstown woman who was found in a pond near family farm property over the weekend drowned.  The body of  Rhonda Gjesdahl (JESS’-DAHL) was discovered Saturday.

Beckman says Gjesdahl’s car was located in the ditch along a minimum maintenance road.  About 60 people helped with the search including volunteers, firefighters from Finley And Cooperstown.