In a tragic event in Biscayne Bay, Miami, a 15-year-old girl lost her life while engaging in water skiing. The incident occurred last Saturday near Nixon Beach when a boat, which subsequently fled the scene, violently collided with the teenager.
The victim, identified as Ella Adler, was celebrating a friend's birthday on a family boat. According to 7 News Miami, the birthday girl's parents were operating the boat at the time of the fatal accident. A witness described the scene as heart-wrenching, stating, "There is a lot of blood in the water," as reported by rescuers via radio transmissions.
Reports from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) indicate that Adler was wearing her life jacket and was skiing when she was unexpectedly hit by a light blue center console boat, last seen heading west from the incident location.
The FWC officers and Miami-Dade police promptly responded, detaining several boats in the area and cordoning off the marina at No Name Harbor in Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park, in an effort to find the person responsible for the hit-and-run.
Besides being an avid water skier, Adler was a prominent dancer at the Miami City Ballet and a student at Ransom Everglades School, where she was a member of the speech and debate team and the Jewish Student Association. "She was a dearly loved friend to many," a school spokesperson said in a statement.
The community and local authorities are deeply shaken by the incident. The FWC has announced a reward of up to $20,000 for information leading to the identification of the boater involved in this act of disregard that has taken a young life.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-3922 or Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS, where they can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward.