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Columbia Missourian

Neighborhood lake shocks woman, renews fears

By The Associated Press
June 22, 2009 | 9:10 a.m. CDT

DE SOTO — A Jefferson County neighborhood lake is off-limits for the second time in three years.

A woman reported getting a shock over the Memorial Day weekend when she dangled a foot into Spring Lake just south of De Soto. Her father said his voltage meter got a reading of 7 volts from the water.

Three years ago, four teens jumped off a dock into the lake and were immobilized by an electric current. One boy drowned and the other three had to be rescued.

A jury in March found utility AmerenUE liable, forcing the company to pay $2.3 million to the teens' families.

A spokeswoman for St. Louis-based Ameren said workers are trying to determine what caused this latest shock. During the trial, experts pointed to underground cables that may have been giving off stray voltage.