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Police: Life vest, rosary not those of seminarian who drowned

By Stan Finger

sfinger@wichitaeagle.com
Chris Anaya was fishing on the Arkansas River on Saturday when he discovered half of a life vest on the water’s edge under the bridge near the Keeper of the Plains. He said the rosary made him think the vest belonged to Brian Bergkamp, so he called 911.
Chris Anaya was fishing on the Arkansas River on Saturday when he discovered half of a life vest on the water’s edge under the bridge near the Keeper of the Plains. He said the rosary made him think the vest belonged to Brian Bergkamp, so he called 911. Chris Anaya Courtesy photo

The mystery of the life vest and rosary found on the banks of the Arkansas River Saturday afternoon lives on.

Wichita police on Tuesday said they did not belong to Brian Bergkamp, the seminarian who drowned while kayaking on the morning of July 9. Chris Anaya spotted half of a life vest while looking for a spot to fish last Saturday afternoon. Part of a rosary was tangled up in the clasp of the life vest, prompting Anaya to wonder if they were the seminarian’s.

“I was informed by our homicide section that the beads and the life jacket are not related to Bergkamp,” Wichita police Sgt. Nikki Woodrow said Tuesday in a prepared statement.

Anaya spotted the vest and partial rosary two days after Bergkamp’s body was found last Thursday in the Arkansas River next to Herman Hill Park. His identity was confirmed by the coroner and his family was notified on Friday.

Police officially announced Bergkamp’s recovery on Monday.

Stan Finger: 316-268-6437, @StanFinger

This story was originally published August 2, 2016 at 3:12 PM with the headline "Police: Life vest, rosary not those of seminarian who drowned."

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