First responders gave a minor update and addressed rumors a week after a sand hole collapsed in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea and buried two children, killing a little girl.
A Broward Sheriff's deputy, who was also a first responder at the scene where 7-year-old Sloan Mattingly and her brother got buried in the sand on Feb. 20, said the case is still an active death investigation.
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WATCH HEREDespite previous reports, the hole was only three feet deep, he said. The deputy also refuted the rumor that the hole was dug out by somebody else before the kids fell in — a man did dig out a hole, but it was not the same one in the tragedy.
"Broward Sheriff’s Office Homicide Unit detectives say at this time they have no evidence that suggests a man dug the sand hole where the children were trapped prior to the incident," BSO officials said in an update earlier Tuesday. "The circumstances surrounding this case remain part of an active and ongoing investigation."
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The deputy also said the entire incident was caught on camera but the video is not being made to the public.
The deputy gave these updates at the beginning of a special meeting where commissioners discussed safety measures in light of Mattingly's death, including implementing lifeguards and an ordinance about digging in the sand.
The beach where the tragedy happened did not have lifeguards, so there were no professionals immediately available to help when the sand hole collapsed.
911 calls and videos captured people on the beach screaming for help and trying to scoop up sand with their hands to rescue the little girl. Her brother was buried chest-deep and survived. Sloan Mattingly later died at the hospital.
Since her death, a lot of questions have been raised — even by a professional lifeguard association about whether a tragedy like this could have been prevented.
While nothing actionable came out of the meeting, the town's staff was directed to look into the costs of having lifeguards on the beach. The public chimed in as well — some were in favor no matter the cost, but others were against it because of it.
"I think we should have lifeguards," said Commissioner Theo Poulopoulos, who is in favor. "I don't want to see another tragedy happen so that we have to revisit this again."
A funeral for Mattingly will be held later this week.
