Sloan and Maddox Mattingly, siblings from Indiana, had a tragic beach day in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, Florida. After what started out as harmless fun digging in the sand, nine-year-old Maddox was fighting for his life in the hospital and seven-year-old Sloan died.

To get away from the winter cold, the Mattingly family, who were from Fort Wayne, Indiana, went on vacation. On February 20, Sloan and Maddox unintentionally went into a big sand hole while playing close to their parents. The sand suddenly fell away from them.

Onlookers witnessed desperate digging efforts to save the kids and heard screams. A child who was stuck in the sand was reported to 911 by a beachgoer. As the sand engulfed Sloan, the children’s mother screamed for help, and their father quickly sought help.

When emergency personnel arrived, they dug the kids out with shovels and used support boards to stabilize the sand. They tried, but Sloan did not make it. Maddox was taken in critical condition to the hospital.

As the family deals with Sloan’s tragic death and awaits his recovery, Maddox’s current health is still unknown. The Mattingly family and those close to them have been profoundly impacted by the tragic accident, which serves as a reminder of the dangers that can arise even during innocent play.