Parents of 7-year-old who died in sand hole break their silence

Good Morning America
14 Mar 202406:09

Summary

TLDRThe parents of 7-year-old Sloan, who tragically died when a sandhole collapsed on her at a Florida beach, share their story to raise awareness about the hidden dangers of sandholes. They emphasize the importance of not digging deep holes on the beach and the need for increased safety measures, including lifeguards and signage. The family's message is a heartfelt plea to prevent other families from experiencing similar tragedies, highlighting the rapid nature of such accidents and the overwhelming community support they've received.

Takeaways

  • 😢 A 7-year-old girl, Sloan, tragically died after a sandhole collapsed on her at a Florida beach.
  • 🌊 Parents Teresa and Jason Mattingly share their story to raise awareness of the hidden dangers of sandholes.
  • ⚠️ The accident occurred during a seemingly perfect beach day, highlighting the unexpected nature of such incidents.
  • 👧🏼 Sloan was playing with her 9-year-old brother Maddox when the sandhole caved in.
  • 🏥 Despite immediate rescue efforts and medical attention, Sloan did not survive.
  • 🕵️‍♂️ The incident took place on an open public beach without a lifeguard on duty.
  • 📏 Experts advise that sandholes should not be deeper than the knee of the shortest person digging, to prevent collapse.
  • 🏖️ The town of Lauderdale by the Sea is developing a national safety campaign in response to the tragedy.
  • 💔 The Mattingly family is grateful for the support and kindness shown to them by strangers during and after the incident.
  • 🌟 A photo taken by a stranger, showing a light stretching from the sky to the sand, has brought comfort to the family.
  • 📢 The Mattinglys urge beachgoers to be vigilant and speak up if they see potentially dangerous situations.

Q & A

  • What was the age of the girl who tragically died in the sandhole collapse?

    -The girl was 7 years old.

  • Where did the sandhole collapse occur?

    -The sandhole collapse happened on a Florida beach.

  • What was the family doing on the beach before the incident?

    -The family was enjoying a beach day, looking for seashells and playing in the sand with their two young children.

  • How did the parents describe their immediate reaction to the sandhole collapse?

    -The parents described it as a blur, chaotic, and horrifying. They were frantic and desperately tried to save their daughter.

  • What was the role of the woman who stayed with their son Maddox?

    -The woman, who turned out to be a nurse, stayed with Maddox after he was pulled out of the sand to check on him and provide care.

  • How long did it take to fully rescue the children from the sandhole?

    -It took nearly 20 minutes to get the children out of the hole.

  • What was the depth of the sandhole that collapsed?

    -The sandhole was several feet deep.

  • What safety advice do the parents have for other families regarding sandholes?

    -The parents advise against digging sandholes altogether and encourage people to speak up if they see dangerous situations on the beach.

  • What is the town of Lauderdale by the Sea doing in response to this tragedy?

    -The town is developing a national safety campaign and considering a local ordinance to ban digging on their beach to help prevent future tragedies.

  • How is the family coping with their loss?

    -The family is coping minute by minute, and they find comfort in the support and love from strangers, including a photo taken at the scene that they believe is a sign from Sloan.

  • How did Sloan's parents describe her personality and interests?

    -Sloan was described as a beam of light and joy, who loved unicorns and Taylor Swift, and lived life with happiness and energy.

Outlines

00:00

😢 Tragic Sandhole Collapse Claims Young Life

The parents of 7-year-old Sloan share their heartbreaking story after their daughter was tragically killed when a sandhole on a Florida beach collapsed. They discuss the devastating incident, the urgency of spreading awareness about the hidden dangers of sandholes, and their efforts to prevent similar tragedies. The family's harrowing experience, the community's response, and the importance of safety guidelines on beaches are highlighted.

05:01

🌟 Sloan's Legacy: A Message of Hope and Safety

The Madingley family, still reeling from their loss, emphasize the importance of their message for beach safety. They reflect on the support they've received, including a comforting photo captured by a stranger that symbolizes Sloan's spirit. The family's resilience and their desire to honor Sloan's memory by advocating for safer beaches are underscored, along with a call to action for everyone to be vigilant and speak up about potential dangers.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Tragic accident

The term 'tragic accident' refers to an unforeseen and unfortunate event that leads to severe consequences, such as the loss of life. In the context of the video, it describes the sudden collapse of a sandhole on a Florida beach that resulted in the death of 7-year-old Sloan. This accident is the central event around which the narrative of the video is built, highlighting the unexpected dangers that can occur at the beach.

💡Hidden danger

A 'hidden danger' is a risk or threat that is not immediately apparent or visible. In the video, the parents of Sloan warn other families about the hidden danger of sandholes on beaches, which can collapse and pose a serious risk to children playing in the sand. The term underscores the importance of being aware of potential hazards that may not be obvious at first glance.

💡Spring Break season

The 'Spring Break season' is a period typically associated with the late winter to early spring in the United States, during which many schools and colleges have a week or two off. It is a popular time for vacations, including trips to beaches. In the video, the parents of Sloan share their story as a cautionary message during this season, aiming to educate families about beach safety and the potential risks of sandholes.

💡Safety campaign

A 'safety campaign' is an organized effort to raise awareness about a particular safety issue, often with the goal of preventing accidents or injuries. In the video, the town of Lauderdale by the Sea is developing a national safety campaign in response to the tragic accident, intending to share it with coastal communities to help prevent future tragedies.

💡Lifeguard

A 'lifeguard' is a professional trained in the prevention, detection, and response to aquatic emergencies such as drowning. In the context of the video, the absence of a lifeguard on the beach where the accident occurred is mentioned, highlighting the potential role they could have played in preventing or responding to the sandhole collapse.

💡Expert warnings

Expert warnings refer to cautionary advice given by professionals or authorities with specialized knowledge in a particular field. In the video, expert warnings about the dangers of sandholes, especially when they are too deep, are discussed to underscore the importance of following safety guidelines to avoid such accidents.

💡Caving in

The term 'caving in' describes the process of collapsing or falling inwards, often used to describe the failure of structures or surfaces under pressure. In the context of the video, it refers to the sandhole walls collapsing under their own weight, trapping the children inside and leading to the tragic accident.

💡Frantic help

The phrase 'frantic help' describes a state of desperate and hurried assistance offered in a crisis situation. In the video, it is used to describe the efforts of several people on the beach who rushed to help when the sandhole collapsed, illustrating the community's immediate response to the emergency.

💡GoFundMe page

A 'GoFundMe page' is an online fundraising platform where individuals can create personal campaigns to raise money for various causes, often in times of need. In the video, a stranger's photo posted on the family's GoFundMe page is mentioned as a source of comfort for the family, symbolizing the support and love they received from the community.

💡Beach safety

Beach safety refers to the precautions and measures taken to prevent accidents and injuries while enjoying recreational activities at the beach. The video focuses on the importance of beach safety, particularly the awareness of the risks associated with sandholes, and the need for increased vigilance and safety measures.

💡Community support

Community support refers to the assistance, encouragement, and solidarity provided by a group of people, often in times of crisis or hardship. In the video, the family receives community support through the GoFundMe page and the immediate help offered by strangers at the beach, demonstrating the collective empathy and care of the community.

Highlights

Parents of 7-year-old Sloan share their tragic story to raise awareness about the hidden dangers of sandholes on beaches.

The accident occurred during a family beach day in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, when a sandhole collapsed, burying Sloan.

Despite being nearby, the parents were unable to save their daughter due to the weight of the sand.

It took nearly 20 minutes to dig the children out of the sandhole, which was several feet deep.

Sloan was rushed to the hospital but sadly did not survive.

The parents express gratitude to the first responders and the community for their efforts and support.

Experts warn that sandholes, even relatively small ones, can pose serious danger, especially if they are too deep.

The family suggests that sandholes should not be deeper than the knee of the shortest person digging, to prevent such accidents.

The town of Lauderdale by the Sea is developing a national safety campaign to prevent future tragedies.

The family remembers Sloan as a bright and joyful girl who loved unicorns and Taylor Swift.

The Mingle family encourages people to speak up if they see dangerous situations on the beach to prevent further accidents.

A stranger's photo of a light stretching from the sky to the sand has brought comfort to the family, symbolizing that Sloan is at peace.

The parents' message is a heartfelt plea for beach safety and vigilance during the Spring Break season.

The interview with the parents was conducted sensitively, acknowledging the pain of their loss.

The family's story serves as a powerful reminder of the unexpected dangers that can occur even during seemingly safe activities.

The parents' advocacy for beach safety could potentially lead to changes in local ordinances and increased awareness.

The tragic incident highlights the importance of being vigilant and prepared for emergencies, even during leisure activities.

The interview ends with a call to action for viewers to subscribe to the GMA YouTube channel for more content.

Transcripts

00:00

the parents of a 7-year-old girl who was

00:02

tragically killed when a sandhole on a

00:04

Florida beach collapsed on top of her

00:08

they sat down with arel RF to talk about

00:10

their daughter Sloan and share an urgent

00:13

warning oh my goodness good morning arel

00:15

good morning to you guys this is such a

00:16

vital message and Sloan was such a light

00:18

Teresa and Jason say that losing their

00:20

daughter Sloan to this tragic accident

00:22

has turned their lives upside down now

00:24

just weeks later as we head into the

00:26

Spring Break season they want parents to

00:28

know about this hidden Danger in the

00:30

sand and they're sharing Sloan's story

00:32

to save other families from similar

00:35

anguish the kids were looking up you

00:38

know finding

00:39

seashells and playing in the sand Jason

00:42

and Teresa mattingley say they were

00:44

enjoying the perfect Beach day with

00:46

their two young children when the

00:48

unthinkable happened we go to the beach

00:50

we think of water safety and this never

00:53

ever once crossed my mind and of course

00:56

looking now I'm like of course and so

00:59

that part's really frust cuz I'm like

01:01

man last month 7-year-old Sloan and her

01:04

9-year-old brother Maddox were digging

01:06

in the sand at this Fort Lauderdale area

01:08

Beach when things took a devastating

01:11

turn the sand hole suddenly caved in on

01:14

them Sloan was completely buried beneath

01:17

her brother Jason you told me this

01:18

happened in an instant it's kind of a

01:20

blur and it's probably maybe my mind

01:22

protecting

01:23

itself but it just happened so fast and

01:28

in my mind I had her in my my hands but

01:31

the weight of the sand was too much it

01:33

didn't matter that we were literally

01:35

right there it was just a hole and

01:37

there's nothing and then it just became

01:39

chaos and horror several people

01:42

frantically calling 911 the father

01:44

started yelling for help like his child

01:46

is caught in a hole in the sand my

01:49

husband's up there and a bunch of men

01:51

are digging on the beach people were

01:53

desperate to help you I only knew of one

01:56

um it was a woman who

02:00

she I told her to call 911 and then it

02:03

turned out she's a nurse once Maddox got

02:06

out of our son got out of the sand and

02:08

they were checking him out on the beach

02:09

she stayed with him because like I

02:12

wanted to be digging and so she sat with

02:14

him the whole time and she was just um

02:18

she so kind the family says it took

02:21

nearly 20 minutes to fully get the

02:23

children out of the hole several feet

02:25

deep but say it felt like time Stood

02:27

Still Sloan was rushed to a nearby

02:30

hospital tragically she did not survive

02:33

what would you say to those people who

02:34

were on the beach who jumped in I'm

02:37

sorry I'm so sorry you witnessed um pure

02:41

horror thank you to the First Responders

02:44

the hospital the everyone everyone tried

02:47

their hardest unfortunately it didn't

02:49

work out in our favor experts warn that

02:51

sandholes even relatively small ones

02:53

pose serious Danger on the beach take a

02:56

group of kids ages 5 to 11 years old all

02:59

varying in height the shortest 3' 7 the

03:02

tallest 41 experts say any whole dug

03:05

should be no deeper than the knee of the

03:07

shortest person digging it in this case

03:10

about 9 in was there a lifeguard on duty

03:13

on the beach or was this just sort of an

03:15

open public beach just um I think it's

03:17

just an open public beach yeah that

03:20

would be something we would like to see

03:21

change if we can um again we don't place

03:24

any blame on Lauderdale by the Sea in a

03:27

statement to ABC News the town of

03:29

Lauderdale by the SE says that they are

03:30

developing a national Safety campaign

03:33

telling us we will share it with as many

03:35

Coastal communities as possible to help

03:37

prevent another unimaginable tragedy

03:40

we're also discussing how we monitor our

03:42

beach a local ordinance to ban digging

03:44

on our beach and the best way to honor

03:47

Sloan life is all about

03:50

love and it's about kisses and hugged

03:55

and songs now the madingley remembering

03:58

their bright and VI daughter Who Loved

04:01

unicorns and Taylor

04:04

Swift how do you want precious slan to

04:08

be

04:10

remembered as a beam of light Joy she

04:13

just lived life she would come out in

04:16

the morning and she would fist pump

04:19

right out of bed come out and just she'd

04:21

always be so happy she wasn't into like

04:23

the big like take me to Disney she was

04:26

like just come dance with me in the

04:27

living room and so we did as other

04:30

families prepare to flock to beaches for

04:32

the Spring Break Season the mingle's

04:34

message through their tragedy

04:36

heartbreakingly clear if we can do

04:38

anything to save another family from

04:40

going through this whether that's

04:42

signage uh Beach

04:44

Patrol and strangers you know if you see

04:47

something that's dangerous take the

04:49

courage and say

04:50

something so how do these sand holes

04:53

pose a danger well experts tell us that

04:54

if they're too deep the walls or the

04:56

sides can cave in and the sand can

04:58

quickly become compact and heavy and

05:00

trap people inside the M mingle really

05:04

want families to know how quickly that

05:06

this can happen and they want people to

05:07

avoid digging altogether and as for how

05:10

they're coping they say it is truly

05:12

minute to minute but I do want to show

05:14

you something pretty powerful a stranger

05:16

posted on their GoFundMe page this photo

05:19

that he snapped in the aftermath of this

05:21

horrific accident in the area where this

05:23

happened and you can see it's a light

05:25

stretching straight from the sky down to

05:27

the sand and this image alone has just

05:29

given this family so much comfort

05:32

knowing that maybe it was a sign from

05:34

Sloan that she's at peace so really

05:36

special but there theyve they've been

05:39

enveloped with so much love and they're

05:41

so appreciative of that and this message

05:43

is so important you were so sensitive

05:45

with them great job thanks marel well

05:48

hey there GMA fans Robin Roberts here

05:51

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06:00

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06:05

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06:06

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Etiquetas relacionadas
BeachSafetyTragicAccidentSandholeDangersParentalAdvocacySpringBreakFloridaBeachCommunitySupportGriefCopingAwarenessCampaignFamilyStory
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