Tragic Sand Collapse Claims Life of Indiana Child in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea

A family from Indiana experienced tragedy during a beach outing in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea on Tuesday afternoon when a large hole the children were digging in the sand collapsed, burying them alive. The children were identified as 5-year-old Sloan Mattingly and her 9-year-old brother, Maddox, by the Broward Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday. Sloan was tragically unable to be revived after being extricated from the sand, while Maddox survived.

Ocean rescue experts assert that Sloan’s death might have been preventable if lifeguards had been present. In nearby coastal towns, lifeguards are tasked with educating beachgoers about the risks of digging in the sand and preventing them from digging deeper than knee-height, approximately 2 feet. The hole the children were digging exceeded 5 to 6 feet, officials report.

Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, however, does not have lifeguards on duty, as confirmed by Pompano Beach spokesperson Sandra King. Pompano Beach provides fire and ocean rescue services to the town and responded to the incident after it was reported.

Jim McCrady, Vice President and Lifesaving Academies director of the U.S. Lifesaving Association Southeast Region, emphasized the importance of lifeguard supervision in mitigating such risks. He highlighted lifeguards’ daily efforts to identify hazards and prevent dangers like deep holes on guarded beaches.

Spokespeople for the town did not immediately respond to inquiries regarding the lifeguard situation. However, they confirmed that the beach remained open and the sand had been leveled following the tragic incident.