Investigators are still trying to find the boat responsible after a 15-year-old girl died in a waterskiing incident over the weekend off Key Biscayne.
A boater allegedly ran off after hitting Ella Riley Adler, who officials said fell in the water while being towed, and then the unthinkable happened.
“It’s a tremendous loss, she had such a bright future and it’s very sad. very sad,” said one father, whose daughter is best friends with Adler.
Adler was a prominent dancer, a student at Ransom Everglades, a sister and daughter, and beloved by an entire community. Her funeral services on Monday morning brought in hundreds to celebrate her light and life.
“Our whole community is grieving and trying to make sense of something that makes absolutely no sense,” said Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, who knew the family personally.
According to Florida Fish and Wildlife officials, the incident happened at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday at Nixon Beach Sandbar off Key Biscayne
Investigators said Adler was not actively waterskiing but was being towed when she fell into the water. That’s when another boat struck her and fled the scene.
The boat in question was last seen heading westbound from Nixon Beach and was described to have a “light blue center console with possibly blue or dark blue bottom paint with three or four white out board engines,” FWC said in a statement Monday.
Experts of maritime law said while other boating activities require a dive flag to be posted to alert other boats that someone is in the water, that’s not the case with water skiing.
“A lot of it falls on the driver of the vessel, who is actually waterskiing to keep an accurate lookout,” said maritime attorney Michael Winkleman. “You are generally required to have someone on the backend keeping eye on the water-skier themselves, and you are generally going to do it in areas that are generally safe to do something like this, including Nixon Beach — a very common area to do water sports like that.”
Winkleman believes this did not occur in a “no wake zone,” which requires a specific speed limit to be adhered to.
Hundreds of commenters across social media wondered if it’s possible the driver didn’t realize he hit Adler, something Winkleman doesn’t believe is possible.
“I find that extremely hard to believe because hitting a person is a large object, you would definitely feel that especially if you are going at any type of a rate of speed,” he said. “So it’s really hard for me to imagine that.”
But it’s something investigators are still looking into. FWC officials said Monday they are making significant progress in this investigation.
Nixon Beach, a popular spot known for its party atmosphere, is no stranger to incidents similar to this in the past.
According to NBC6’s reporting, since 2013, there have been at least five incidences that have resulted in injury or death near that sandbar. Winkleman said those operating a non-commercial boat in Florida can do so without taking a boater safety course if they were born before 1988.
Winkleman said the person responsible could potentially face hefty charges, including vessel homicide, hit and run, reckless driving, and careless driving.
It’s currently unknown if alcohol was involved in this specific incident.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to dial this number: 888-404-3922.
