(DailyChive.com) – A family vacation to a Florida beach took a heartbreaking turn on Tuesday, February 20, leaving a family in mourning. Seven-year-old Sloan Mattingly, visiting Lauderdale-by-the-Sea with her family from Indiana, tragically lost her life after a seemingly harmless activity turned into a devastating accident.
While playing on the beach with her 8-year-old brother, Maddox, Sloan became trapped when a hole they were digging unexpectedly collapsed, burying them both in the sand. Witnesses at the scene described the moment the sand caved in, instantly engulfing the siblings.
Bystanders, realizing the urgency of the situation, immediately rushed to help. They frantically dug into the sand, desperately trying to free the children. Sadly, Sloan was buried entirely, and by the time first responders arrived at the scene shortly after 3:15 PM, the bystanders had already been digging for several crucial minutes.
Despite the valiant efforts of rescuers, who secured the collapsing hole to prevent further danger, they could not save Sloan. After being transported to a nearby hospital, she was pronounced dead. Thankfully, her brother, Maddox, survived the tragic ordeal.
Sandra King, a spokesperson for Pompano Beach Fire Rescue, described the scene as “traumatic,” noting that the parents were understandably devastated. However, the Broward County Sheriff’s Office is currently investigating the incident, focusing on determining how the seemingly harmless hole reached such a depth.
Tom Gill, the vice president of the United States Lifesaving Association, emphasized the importance of caution, particularly when digging holes on the beach. He advised that a sensible approach would be to dig a hole no deeper than knee-deep for the smallest person who will get into it. He further said that the Lifeguards at the beach play a crucial role in preventing such tragedies – they monitor beaches for potentially dangerous holes and assist anyone who becomes trapped.
Sadly, this isn’t the first time such a tragedy has happened. According to Gill, an average of three people lose their lives annually across the United States due to collapsing sand at beaches. Earlier this month, a young child was fortunately rescued from a similar incident on the Jersey Shore.
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