Florida: Sand Hole Collapse Claims Life Of Seven-Year-Old Girl

In a heartbreaking turn of events, a leisurely day at the beach turned into a nightmare for a family visiting Lauderdale-by-the-Sea in Florida, as a sandhole collapse claimed the life of a seven-year-old girl on Tuesday. Sloan Mattingly and her nine-year-old brother, Maddox, were enjoying a day out on the sunny shores of Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, located in Broward County, approximately 33 miles north of Miami. Their innocent activity of digging a large sand hole soon turned perilous as the walls of the hole collapsed, trapping them underneath.

Details Of The Incident 

Emergency services rushed to the scene after receiving distress calls. Maddox was found buried up to his chest, with his sister Sloan beneath him. Despite the frantic efforts of bystanders and emergency responders, Sloan couldn't be revived. Both siblings were swiftly transported to the hospital, where Sloan tragically succumbed to the ordeal.

"Our hearts are heavy in LBTS today after learning two children were trapped in the sand," expressed the Town of Lauderdale-By-The-Sea in a sombre statement, reflecting the community's shock and grief over the tragic incident.

According to reports from ABC News, the Mattingly family, hailing from Indiana, had been on vacation in Florida when the incident occurred. The Broward County Sheriff's Office, investigating the matter, stated that the circumstances surrounding the collapse are still under investigation, leaving many questions unanswered.

Witnesses described scenes of frantic rescue attempts, with bystanders and emergency responders digging desperately with shovels and buckets to free the trapped children. Despite their efforts, Sloan remained buried under the sand until it was too late.

"You saw grown men digging with shovels and buckets and nobody could find her. I guess when the wall caved in she may have been laying flat and so maybe it just kind of pancaked her. The dad was able to pull his son out but the daughter was still underneath the sand," recounted one individual who was present at the scene, speaking to ABC affiliate WPLG.

As the community grapples with the shock of this tragic loss, authorities continue their investigation into the circumstances leading to the sand hole collapse, hoping to prevent such a devastating incident from occurring again in the future.