A devastating incident at a Florida beach claimed the life of seven-year-old Sloan Mattingly, leaving her family shattered by the loss. The tragedy unfolded when Sloan and her brother Maddox became trapped in a sand hole they had been digging at Lauderdale-by-the-Sea beach. While Maddox was rescued and hospitalized in stable condition, Sloan succumbed to the ordeal.
Jason Mattingly, Sloan’s grieving father, expressed his anguish over her passing, describing her as “full of love and life.” Confirming the heartbreaking news to Wane 15, Jason clarified Sloan’s age as seven, contrary to earlier reports indicating she was five. The Mattingly family, including Sloan, Maddox, and their parents Jason and Therese, had been visiting from Fort Wayne, Indiana when the tragedy struck.
The harrowing moments of the incident were captured in an audio recording of the 911 call, revealing the frantic efforts of bystanders to rescue the trapped siblings. Witnesses recounted how the ground collapsed while Sloan and Maddox were playing inside the hole they had dug, prompting a desperate rescue attempt by beachgoers before firefighters arrived.
Despite the valiant efforts, Sloan was found without a pulse when she was pulled from the sand and was pronounced dead at the hospital. Maddox, meanwhile, was fortunate to emerge with his life. The tragic loss of Sloan reverberated beyond the beach as Lafayette Meadows Elementary School, the siblings’ school in Indiana, mourned her passing in a heartfelt statement, offering support to the grieving family and the school community.
Details surrounding the incident remain scarce, with the adults present too overwhelmed to provide further information. According to Sandra King, spokesperson for Pompano Beach Fire, the hole where the tragedy occurred was approximately five to six feet deep, with Maddox buried up to his chest and Sloan completely submerged beneath him. The circumstances leading to the collapse, including any adult involvement in the digging activity, remain unclear.
The incident serves as a sobering reminder of the dangers associated with playing in sand holes at the beach, a hazard that, while rare, can have devastating consequences. Recent incidents elsewhere, including one at Jersey Shore Beach and another in Frisco, Virginia, underscore the potential risks involved. Authorities and beach safety advocates have emphasized the instability of sand structures and cautioned against digging deep holes, particularly in areas prone to erosion or with dunes nearby. As communities mourn the loss of young lives, efforts to raise awareness about beach safety continue, aiming to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
RIP.
