“The mom’s yelling, ‘my daughter is in there’”: 911 calls reveal beachgoers scrambling to save Sloan Mattingly buried alive in Florida beach sandhole

On February 20, 2024, 7-year-old Sloan Mattingly of Fort Wayne, Indiana, passed away after getting buried alive in a sand hole at Lauderdale-by-the-Sea beach in Florida.

NBC 6 South Florida released the audio of a 911 call made by a beachgoer to report the tragic incident. In the audio of the call, the parents of the child can be heard panic-strickenly calling for help to save their daughter while fellow beachgoers tried their best to rescue her. The caller can be heard telling the 911 operator:

"The mom’s yelling, 'my daughter is in there.'"

As per multiple news reports, the incident took place when Sloan Mattingly was on vacation along with her parents and her 9-year-old brother, Maddox.

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Sloan Mattingly's brother also got buried up to his chest but was rescued

New York Post reported that the incident took place at about 3 pm on February 20, 2024, when Sloan Mattingly was digging a hole in the sand with her brother Maddox Mattingly when the sand collapsed on them.

The pressure of the sand caving into the 5 to 6-foot-deep hole fully submerged the 7-year-old, while her brother was buried up to his chest.

According to the report by New York Post, Maddox was rescued by their father, Jason Mattingly, who pulled him out. Both children were taken to Broward Health Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale, where Sloan was declared dead.

NBC News reported that NBC South Florida obtained cellphone video footage that revealed numerous beachgoers using their hands while attempting to save the children.

A spokesperson for Pompano Beach Fire Rescue, Sandra King, told the outlet that rescuers used support boards to stop the sand from further caving in and shovels to dig the children out of the sandhole.

According to the report by NBC News, the incident initiated a warning from the American Lifeguard Association about the risks of sand holes. The association also mentioned that it is pushing for more beach patrols in places known for sand digging and asked beach patrols to improve their emergency response training.

The association's director of health and safety, Bernard J. Fisher II, said:

"The recent incident in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea is a heart-wrenching reminder of why we must work together to keep our beaches safe. By implementing these measures and fostering a community of safety and awareness, we can prevent future tragedies and ensure that our beaches remain places of joy and recreation for everyone."

New York Post reported that before being recovered, Sloan Mattingly remained buried in the sand for about 20 minutes.

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Parents, visitors, and locals pay tribute to Sloan Mattingly

CBS News reported that on February 23, 2024, visitors and locals came together and observed a moment of silence for Sloan Mattingly. A makeshift memorial has been set up on Lauderdale-by-the-Sea beach near the hole that was closed up following the incident.

One of the visitors, Ruth, from Ohio, put flowers on the sand and said:

"We just had to come here to honor the little ones."

According to the report by CBS News, Sloan's father, Jason Mattingly, made a post on social media where he thanked the photographer who snapped a ray of sun beaming down to the ocean. The post read:

"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!"

New York Post reported that, as per authorities, the incident is still under investigation.