Lauderdale-by-the-Sea has passed an ordinance aimed at preventing sand hole deaths four months after a 7-year-old died when a sand hole collapsed as she played with her brother.
The child, Sloan Mattingly, was with her brother, Maddox, at the beach on Feb. 20 when the sand hole collapsed and they became trapped. Beachgoers tried to dig her out with their hands and plastic pails, but the hole kept collapsing on itself.
Maddox survived, but Sloan did not.
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The ordinance passed on June 6 prohibits the removal of sand and the digging or excavating of sand, earth or soil from any beach or dune within town limits.
It also prohibits digging a hole or trench deeper than 18 inches, or leaving an area without completely filling the hole.
The town had previously approved the Sandcastles for Sloan campaign in order to raise awareness about the dangers of digging on the beach while promoting building sandcastles as a safer alternative.
