A seven-year-old girl has tragically died after she and her brother, nine, were buried alive in a hole they were digging on a beach in Florida.
The siblings were playing on a beach in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea when they became trapped in the sand when it collapsed.
Officials have said the children became trapped at around 3pm on Tuesday (February 20), and witnesses say the hole was around five to six feet deep when it caved in.
Sloan Mattingly was completely buried, while her brother Maddox, was buried up to his neck in the sand. When emergency services rushed to the scene, they found around 20 people desperately digging to rescue the children.
Paramedics rushed the children to hospital but sadly, the girl was pronounced dead later. Her brother is currently recovering at Broward Health Medical Center and is in a stable condition, writes CBS.
Broward County Sheriff’s Office said the children were part of a family who were vacationing in Florida, from Indiana. The incident is currently under investigation by officials, who got to the scene four minutes after the first 911 calls were made.
A GoFundMe fundraiser has been made for the family, with a target of $25,000, and almost $20,000 has been raised in less than 12 hours, at time of writing.
It reads: “Jason, Therese and Maddox are having to navigate a road that no family ever wants to have to even think about navigating. What started as an amazing family trip quickly turned into the devastatingly tragic loss of their 7-year-old daughter/sister Sloan.
“We know that no amount of money will bring beautiful Sloan back, but your donation can help bring Sloan home from Florida, cover funeral costs and ease the financial stress as they learn to navigate their new world.
“In the words of Mom (Therese): “A freak accident happened yesterday while we are here on vacation and it took away our greatest 7.5 years. Don’t tell us you’re sorry for our loss…don’t do that to us. We experienced the purest human being and we are forever changed by her.
“We love you beyond any stretch of the imagination. Our sweet Sloan. What we would give.”
The children’s school issued a statement yesterday, offering condolences to the family.
It said: “It is with a heavy heart that I write this letting you know we lost a precious member of the Lafayette Meadows school family.
“Sloan Mattingly was a bright, sweet, loving 1st grade student in Ms. Vanbrocklin’s class. Sloan passed away on Tuesday. We will be talking with Ms. Vanbrocklin’s class, as well as Ms. Kilbourne’s class, as Sloan’s brother is a member of that classroom, on Thursday.
“Our administration team and counselors have support resources available for any student or staff member who is in need during this time of loss.
“Please keep the Mattingly family in your thoughts and prayers. They have requested privacy at this time. We will pass along any further information the family wishes to share.”
The Tampa Bay Times reports the beach did not have lifeguards but there were some on other beaches in the area, who are under instruction to stop people digging holes more than two feet deep.
