Lauderdale-By-The-Sea left heartbroken by little girl who died in collapsed sandhole
LAUDERDALE-BY-THE-SEA - Visitors and locals gathered Friday to hold a moment of silence for 7-year-old Sloan Mattingly.
Mattingly died Tuesday after being trapped in sand.
According to BSO Mattingly and her 9-year-old brother were digging a hole that caved in on them burying the children.
Sloan died. Her brother was rescued.
There is a makeshift memorial on the beach near the hole that was covered after the incident.
Ruth, who is visiting from Ohio, placed flowers on the sand Friday.
"We just had to come here to honor the little ones," she said.
Sloan's father posted a message on social media thanking a photographer who had captured a ray of sun beaming down to the ocean.
"This beam of light was photographed the day after the tragedy I truly appreciate whoever took it and let us know our baby is in heaven love you too much Sloan," he wrote.
Since the tragedy took place, Broward Sheriff's Deputies have stepped up patrols on the beach.
There are no lifeguards, but some tourists aren't aware. Other visitors say it doesn't matter.
"A lot of times there are places with no lifeguards. You swim at your own risk. And if you have kids, you keep an eye on them," said visitor Derek Glosser.
The cost for two full-time lifeguards is 200 thousand dollars a year according to a proposal from Pompano Beach, which is now supplying fire rescue services.
Town commissioners are set to discuss the lifeguard proposal next Tuesday.