What happened

On February 20, 2024, at a beach in Lauderdale‑by‑the‑Sea, Florida, a 7‑year‑old girl named Sloan Mattingly and her 9‑year‑old brother Maddox, who were on vacation from Indiana, were digging a sand hole about 5–6 feet deep when it suddenly collapsed people.com+15cnn.com+15nypost.com+15.
Sloan was buried completely and remained under the sand for over 15 minutes, while Maddox was buried up to his chest wcjb.com+8wdbj7.com+8live5news.com+8.
First responders used boards and shovels to stabilize the collapse and dig them out apnews.com+8wgem.com+8wcjb.com+8.
Sloan was rushed to the hospital but was pronounced dead, while Maddox survived and is in stable condition goodmorningamerica.com+13people.com+13independent.co.uk+13.

👪 Family & community response

Sloan’s parents—usually very protective—expressed deep grief and emphasized how suddenly the tragedy unfolded foxnews.com+1nypost.com+1.
They hope that by sharing their story, other families will be more aware of the dangers  reddit.com+8people.com+8foxnews.com+8.
A GoFundMe campaign raised more than $130k–$153k to help support the family people.com+15people.com+15independent.co.uk+15.

Experts note that deep sand holes—especially over knee depth—can be extremely unstable and collapse without warning nypost.com+15thesun.co.uk+15cnn.com+15.
The American Lifeguard Association and others strongly advise never digging holes deeper than knee height, and always refilling them completely live5news.com+8cnn.com+8thesun.co.uk+8.
These types of sand burial accidents can occur multiple times a year in the U.S. and are more dangerous than many people realize apnews.com.

Prayer & Support – Holding space in your thoughts and prayers for the Mattingly family, especially for Maddox as he recovers.
Raise Awareness – Share this story with family and friends planning beach trips—especially those unfamiliar with sand safety.
Beach Safety Tips:
- Limit sand holes to knee depth.
- Never leave children unsupervised near deep holes.
- Refill any holes before leaving the beach.
- Prefer beaches staffed with lifeguards.
Advocate Preventative Measures – Consider supporting beach signage or local ordinances that warn about sand-hole dangers, especially at ungarded beaches.