A boat of interest connected to the death of a 15-year-old girl who was struck and killed while waterskiing in Biscayne Bay over the weekend has been found, authorities said Tuesday.
A boat matching the description of the one that struck and killed Ella Riley Adler Saturday afternoon was in custody and its owner was cooperating with the investigation, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials said Tuesday.
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BISCAYNE BAY BOAT INCIDENT
"I am pleased to report that we have a vessel in custody that matches the description given by witnesses, and the investigation is ongoing," FWC Chairman Rodney Barreto said in a statement. "As a father and grandfather, my heart is broken for the Adler family. Ella’s death is devastating for her family, friends, and the community at large. The FWC and our partner law enforcement agencies will not stop until we have all the answers and the case is solved."
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Aerial footage from Chopper 6 showed the boat docked behind a house in the Hammock Oaks neighborhood in southwest Miami-Dade Tuesday. It was later towed from the home and was being brought to the FWC's offices.
Officials confirmed that it was thanks to an eyewitness that they were able to find the boat. The owner's identity hasn't been released, and it's unknown if the owner was driving the boat during the incident.
In the wake of what could be a breakthrough in the case, the Adler family released a statement Tuesday night.
“The world lost a star this weekend. Ella was beautiful and shined brightly. In her 15 years, she gave us more light than we could have ever dreamed," the family said. "While we cope with this unspeakable tragedy, we ask the public to give us our privacy as we mourn. We also wish to extend our gratitude to law enforcement for their hard work and commitment to helping bring some closure to this horrific loss."
The fatal incident happened at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday at Nixon Beach Sandbar off Key Biscayne.
Officials said Adler was not actively waterskiing but was being towed when she fell into the water. That’s when another boat struck her and fled the scene.
The boat in question was last seen heading westbound from Nixon Beach and was described as a "light blue center console with possibly blue or dark blue bottom paint with three or four white out board engines," FWC officials said.
The boat seen Tuesday had four engines and matched that description.
Adler, a student at Ransom Everglades School, died from her injuries.
A member of the school's dance team, Adler was an accomplished ballet performer and was a ballerina in the Nutcracker, appearing in over 100 performances with the Miami City Ballet at the Adrienne Arsht Center.
During her funeral Monday, NBC6 spoke with the father of her best friend, who was with Adler when she was struck and killed.
"A great dancer, my daughter’s best friend, a tremendous loss," Loren Pierson said. "She had such a bright future, very sad."
FWC officials said they've been working around the clock to find the boat involved. The incident remains under investigation.
