On Tuesday, February 20, Sloan Mattingly and her nine-year-old brother Maddox were working on digging a hole when it collapsed.
While beachgoers in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea raced to save the couple, Sloan passed away while being transported to the hospital.
It was reported that she had been buried for about twenty minutes in the 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in) deep grave. Her sibling was admitted to the hospital as well, but his condition was declared stable.
Now, Sloan’s parents, Therese and Jason, have launched an initiative urging families to construct sandcastles at the beach rather than it.
In an effort to draw attention to the campaign, Mrs. Mattingly stated on Facebook that Sloan’s legacy is a combination of her heart and soul. Please be careful, and don’t be afraid to speak up.”
The “Sandcastles For Sloan” campaign offers beachgoers guidance and recommendations on how to keep adults and kids from getting buried in the sand.
People should “avoid digging deeper than knee height of the shortest person in your group” and be aware that “sand holes can collapse quickly”.
