What happened to Sloan Mattingly? GoFundMe raises over $7,000 as authorities identify 7-year-old killed in Florida Beach sand collapse

Sloan Mattingly, a 7-year-old girl from Indiana, was identified as the victim who was killed after she was buried inside a sand hole while playing during a vacation on a Florida beach, the Broward County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.

On Tuesday, February 20, 2024, Sloan Mattingly, who was on vacation with her family, was playing with her 9-year-old brother Maddox at Lauderdale-by-the-Sea’s beach when a 4-5-foot-deep sand hole collapsed on them.

According to the Guardian, the beach does not have lifeguards at the scene, prompting a minor delayed response from authorities as civilians tried to dig her out using their hands and plastic pails.

According to 911 calls released by the Broward County Sheriff’s Office and cited in multiple reports, the first deputies arrived almost four minutes after the collapse, followed by paramedics moments later.

The siblings were reportedly rushed to an area hospital, where Sloan Mattingly was pronounced dead on arrival. Maddox was reported to be in stable condition at Broward Health Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale.

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Sloan Mattingly's parents mourn the loss of beloved daughter

In the wake of the tragedy, a community member from Fort Wayne, Indiana, organized a GoFundMe campaign on behalf of the shattered family. The campaign, which has raised over $7,000 of the $25,000 target amount, said the funds raised would help bring Sloan to Indiana and cover any funeral costs while the family navigates through their loss.

The fundraiser also identified the young girl's parents as Jason and Therese. It read,

"Jason, Therese and Maddox are having to navigate a road that no family ever wants to have to even think about navigating. What started as an amazing family trip quickly turned into the devastatingly tragic loss of their 7-year-old daughter/sister Sloan."

Sloan Mattingly’s devastated mom, Therese, penned an emotional statement on Facebook: She said:

"A freak accident happened yesterday while we were here on vacation and it took away our greatest 7.5 years. Don’t tell us you’re sorry for our loss…don’t do that to us. We experienced the purest human being and we are forever changed by her. We love you beyond any stretch of the imagination. Our sweet Sloan. What we would give."

The victim’s father, Jason Mattingly, who owns Fort Wayne company D&S Interiors, implored his customers to be patient while the family grapples with the loss of his daughter. In a Facebook post, he wrote:

“Please be patient as we are dealing with the loss of our daughter. If you need to reach us, please message and we will have our employee reach out.”

Meanwhile, Lafayette Meadows Elementary School in Roanoke released a statement saying they have lost a precious student, WANE reported. The school revealed Sloan Mattingly was a first grader at the school.

“It is with a heavy heart that I write this letting you know we lost a precious member of the Lafayette Meadows school family. Sloan Mattingly was a bright, sweet, loving 1st-grade student in Ms. Vanbrocklin’s class. Sloan passed away on Tuesday.”

The school said counselors were available for those who needed them.