Missing UWM Student Sean Baek Found in River; Mother Recalls His Love of Life

The body that Milwaukee Police pulled from the Milwaukee River last night has been identified by the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner as University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee student Sean Baek, 18, who had been missing for 45 days.

Milwaukee Police said yesterday that they responded to a report of a body in the river near a pier at the intersection of Fratney and Commerce in Riverwest. According to Milwaukee police, the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee Police Department also responded that call.

Baek was found by police fully clothed and wearing shoes, with a diabetic pump on his person. Baek’s identity was confirmed through dental records provided by his parents, the Medical Examiner’s investigation report says. It says that he was found “wedged” under a pier. The river was 20 feet deep in that location.

The preliminary cause of death is accidental, according to the report, but the official cause is pending a toxicology report.

Kristin Stanke Erickson, Baek’s mother, announced the tragic news on Facebook.

“He did not commit suicide,” Erickson said in the Facebook post. “He loved life. He loved college. He loved his friends. He loved his family. And he still does.”

Baek was a freshman at UWM and went missing from Cambridge Commons residence hall on Feb. 14, 2020. Baek had taken LSD with his roommate, who had a bad reaction to the drug. Baek fled the building after UWM police were notified, UWM Police Chief Joseph LeMire said in a previous interview.

He was last seen by an eyewitness running toward the Milwaukee river just behind the residence hall. The last person to hear from Baek, through text, was his father.

“I love you guys, I am so sorry. I promise I’m happy.”

The family will postpone any gathering to honor Baek until Gov. Tony Evers’ “safer-at-home” order is lifted, which was implemented on March 24, 2020 and will extend until April 24, 2020 unless another order is issued, according to the full text.

“We will have a celebration of his life when we can all get together properly,” said Erickson in the Facebook post. “In the meantime, we love you all and appreciate all of your thoughts, your prayers and your love.”

Baek’s disappearance loomed over the campus community like a cloud. A vigil was organized in early March in a conference room at Cambridge Commons, attended by Dean of Students Adam Jussel, Director of Housing Arcetta Knautz and other ranking members of faculty.

“We are saddened by the news of Sean’s passing,” a press release from UWM reads. “Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends who, like us, have held out hope that he would be found alive.”