The tragic loss of a seven-year-old girl in a collapsed sand hole on a Florida beach has left her parents devastated.
The grieving couple, Therese and Jason Mattingly, have broken their silence about the incident, revealing that they never considered the danger of sand holes and are now known as "overprotective" among their friends.
The incident occurred when the couple's daughter, Sloan Mattingly, was playing with her brother, Maddox, digging a hole in the sand at Lauderdale-by-the-Sea beach.
Tragically, the walls of the hole caved in, burying Sloan alive.
In her final moments, she desperately tried to save herself by grabbing onto her brother.
The parents, who rarely took vacations, were left in shock and disbelief, unable to comprehend how such a tragedy could have happened.
Therese Mattingly expressed their deep remorse, stating that they were the type of parents who always considered safety precautions, especially when it came to water safety.
However, the danger posed by sand holes had never crossed their minds before this devastating incident.
They now feel frustrated and wish they had been more aware of the potential risks.
When the incident occurred, beachgoers immediately rushed to help, forming a crowd around the collapsed sand hole.
Some individuals knelt down and used their hands to frantically dig, attempting to reach the trapped children.
It took rescuers approximately 20 minutes to pull Sloan out from the sand hole.
Unfortunately, she did not have a pulse and was declared dead upon arrival at the hospital.
Experts have warned about the dangers associated with deep sand holes. Dr. Stephen Leatherman from Florida International University explained that once a person's body is below the sand level, the sand starts to dry out rapidly.
As a result, the walls of the hole can collapse, causing a rapid influx of sand. The risk increases with the depth of the hole.
The Mattingly family, visiting from Fort Wayne, Indiana, experienced a tragedy that no parent should ever have to endure.
While they are known among their friends as overprotective, they hope that sharing their story will raise awareness about the potential dangers of sand holes on beaches.
According to news reports and a medical study conducted in 2007, it has been documented that approximately three to five children lose their lives each year in the United States due to the collapse of sand holes they were digging.
Tragically, these incidents occur not only at beaches but also at parks and even at home. Additionally, many others suffer severe injuries and require CPR to survive.
Tragic incidents involving sand hole collapses have been reported, highlighting the associated dangers.
For instance, last year, a 17-year-old boy was buried at a beach in North Carolina.
In 2022, a 13-year-old was involved in an incident at a state park in Utah, while an 18-year-old lost his life while digging at a New Jersey beach.
