Officials in Wisconsin are investigating the mysterious death of a 21-year-old college student whose body was found Monday in a food elevator at a bar and grill where she worked.

Police said that the body of Brooke Baures was discovered about 8 p.m. on Monday at the WingDam Bar and Saloon in Fountain City during her work shift. Authorities have since launched an investigation to see how Baures, who was a senior at Winona State University, ended up in the food elevator connected to the kitchen at the restaurant.

According to Fountain City Police Chief Jason Mork, the dumbwaiter's opening is about 3 feet by 3 feet. It was not made to transport people, the Winona Daily News reported.

"I highly doubt [Baures] was using [the elevator] to move herself," he told Fox 9.  He added that officials do not suspect that foul play was a factor and that her death was likely a rare freak accident. Results from an autopsy report have yet to be produced.

"There have been no indications of a criminal act, there's no indications of somebody playing around or horsing around," he told The Los Angeles Times on Wednesday.

Mork added that as far as he knows, the elevator was functioning properly on the night of the incident.

"I don't know how she got there. It was not an easy task to remove her," said Mork, the only police officer in the small town. It took emergency crews at least 20 minutes to extricate her body, he said.

Baures was a popular gymnast who majored in social work and will be remembered as a "selfless teammate," said Eric Schoh, the university's athletic director.

"She was one of those kids who touched a lot of people and who was very well liked. She was a big part of the gymnastics team, but also the athletic department."

He also released a statement Tuesday saying, "She was a leader on the team and a talented gymnast," athletic director Eric Schoh said in a statement Tuesday. "This is a tremendous loss for our community."