Girl buried alive while digging sand grabbed her brother in her final moments
A seven-year-old girl who got buried alive in a sand hole was trying to hold on to her brother in her final moments, it has emerged.
Sloan Mattingly and her 9-year-old brother, Maddox, from Indiana, were enjoying a family getaway on the beach at Lauderdale-by-the-Sea in Florida when tragedy struck on Tuesday, February 20, in the afternoon.
The two children were digging in the sand when a 4-to-5-foot-deep hole caved in, burying Sloan entirely and trapping Maddox up to his chest.
Despite the efforts of bystanders, including about 20 adults who frantically dug with their hands and plastic pails, they were unable to free Sloan in time.
Emergency responders arrived but tragically, Sloan was pronounced dead upon reaching the hospital. Her brother was also taken to the hospital in stable condition.
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Sloan, Maddox and their parents at the beach (Jason Mattingly/Facebook)
Desperate attemps were made to rescue the siblings (CBS)The children's uncle, Chris Sloan, described the dramatic moment, explaining how Maddox said Sloan was grabbing onto his leg trying to save herself.
He told Oklahoma's News 4: "[...] Later we found out that after the sand had caved [Sloan] kept trying to grab up Maddox’s leg to get up out of the sand, and eventually he couldn’t feel her moving anymore.
He added: "The sand had been up to [Maddox's] chest, and he was screaming for help, and a lot of people did come and help."
Emergency services were dispatched to the beach (CBS)He described the 7-year-old girl as "always happy" and "full of energy." Chris said: "She was really fun to be around. She had a lot of energy and just totally innocent, and that’s what hurts the most in all this."
The heart-wrenching news was delivered to the family through a joint call, the uncle explained. He said a relative told them: "What I have to tell you is going to be the worst news of your entire life."
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The Mattingly family, including Sloan, Maddox, their parents, and relatives, were staying at an Airbnb, enjoying a rare vacation opportunity. Chris Sloan said: "They were having a good time. Everybody was really excited to actually see them out there."
Sloan, Maddox and their parents at the beach (Jason Mattingly/Facebook)
Sloan Mattingly was tragically killed (Jason Mattingly/Facebook)The beach at Lauderdale-by-the-Sea doesn't have lifeguards, therefore there was no professional on-site to protect the kids.
Each year, three to five children in the US lose their lives due to sand hole collapses, while others suffer serious injuries. Recent cases include a 17-year-old in North Carolina, a 13-year-old in Utah, and an 18-year-old in New Jersey, all of whom tragically lost their lives while digging in the sand.
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