7-Year-Old Girl 'Tried to Grab Her Brother in Her Final Moments' as a Family Holiday Turned into a Nightmare

What was meant to be an exciting family holiday turned into tragedy when a brother and sister were involved in a horrifying accident that has left their family shattered. Warnings have now been issued to others.

In the warm glow of a Florida sun, a family holiday transformed into a scene of desperation and sorrow as two children, a brother and sister, became trapped beneath the sand. Sloan Mattingly, a vivacious 7-year-old from Indiana, found herself caught in a harrowing situation on a Ft. Lauderdale beach.

Sloan and her 9-year-old brother, Maddox, were digging in the sand, a common and seemingly innocent beach activity, when the earth beneath them gave way, burying them alive. Maddox was pulled to safety, but Sloan remained beneath the sand for an excruciating 15 minutes before rescuers could free her. Despite their efforts, Sloan did not survive the accident.

The incident unfolded as their father, who runs a drywall and painting business, and other beachgoers, frantically tried to rescue the children. One 911 caller reported that the children’s father shouted for help when he was unable to extract his daughter from beneath the sand. Their mother also yelled that her daughter was trapped beneath the sand.The beach, usually a place of joy and laughter, was left with a six-foot-deep hole—a stark reminder of the tragedy that had occurred.

This devastating loss has rippled through the Mattingly family, who seldom take vacations due to the demands of their family business. The trip to Ft. Lauderdale was a rare opportunity for them to relax and make memories together. Chris Sloan, the uncle of the children who resides in Oklahoma, recounted the gut-wrenching moment the family received the news.

“I got a text message as did everybody on the group chat to call a number for a conference call,” Chris shared. “Once we all got on the line, my brother, David, said, ‘Ok. What I have to tell you is going to be the worst news of your entire life.’ And it was. He said that she had passed away, that Sloanie had passed away."

Sloan’s family, spread across the country, had been eagerly following the vacation through social media updates and group texts—a digital thread that kept their close-knit family connected despite the distance. Sloan, named in honor of her mother's maiden name, was the light of their lives, described by her uncle as "always happy," "really fun to be around," and "totally innocent."

The family's story paints a heart-wrenching picture of Sloan’s last minutes, as she desperately "tried to grab her brother in her final moments" to pull herself out. Maddox, feeling his sister's grip slipping away, screamed for help, his voice joining the chorus of panic on the beach.

Safety experts have now cautioned against digging holes in the sand, advising that no hole should be deeper than one's knees. The Mattingly family hopes that by sharing their story, they can prevent such a tragedy from happening to another family. Others who saw the YouTube video about Sloane's story have shared that they believe there should be warnings up at all beaches.

Sloane's uncle added that there was some footage of Sloan being extracted from the sand, but he said she was unresponsive on the scene as far as they could tell. In the wake of the incident, a GoFundMe page has been established to assist the family with expenses as they navigate through this difficult time.

In a profound symbol of loss and remembrance, Jason Mattingly, Sloan's father, shared a photograph on social media—a beam of light captured on the beach the day after the tragedy, which he feels is a sign that their beloved Sloan is now in heaven. “Love you too much Sloan!” his poignant message reads.

As the community comes together to offer support, one shared: “You and your family are in my thoughts and prayers.” Many others shared messages of support and condolences with the family, who are currently mourning the loss of their niece, cousin, sister, and daughter.

Another family whose happy day was turned tragic experienced the event at an amusement park. Find their full story here.