“They’re saying it’s going to take a miracle, so we ask, please, for a miracle,” a woman at the girl’s home said.
SARASOTA, Fla. — The family of a young girl who was swept into a storm drain Sunday evening in Sarasota is leaning on faith as she fights for her life.
The incident occurred just before 6:30 p.m. on Bahia Vista Street, adjacent to Sarasota Christian School. According to the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO), a broken water main combined with heavy rainfall created a powerful current that pulled the child into the drainage system while she was playing near a culvert with other children.
Deputies reported that the girl was discovered about 100 yards downstream after being carried through the drain.
She was quickly transported to Sarasota Memorial Hospital, where she remains in critical condition.
Neighbor Tom McGee described the moment he realized something was wrong when he noticed a sudden drop in his water pressure.
“Lost pressure in the house. Went around the outside to see what was going on, and all I could see is that it was spewing out by the bus stops,” McGee recalled.
He shared Ring doorbell footage showing first responders rapidly mobilizing to rescue the girl.
“Basically, it looks like a waterfall. There was water just rushing down the street,” he described. Moments later, he witnessed emergency crews rushing in after realizing the girl had been pulled into the pipe.
A woman at the family’s home, who opted to remain unnamed, expressed gratitude towards the first responders, saying, “Everyone was so great. All of the officers, the firefighters… everyone was.”
She noted that the family is relying on faith while the girl battles for her life: “They’re saying it’s going to take a miracle, so we ask, please, for a miracle. Because God can do miracles. She had so many miracles to bring her up out of there.”
McGee commented on how the neighborhood has been deeply affected by the situation.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with them constantly. As soon as we saw that there was a child… we were very concerned,” he shared.
Officials indicated that the flooding led to part of the eastbound lanes of Bahia Vista Street near Cornish Court and Arcadia Avenue collapsing into a pool of water approximately four feet deep. County workers quickly stabilized the area, and the roadway reopened to traffic on Monday.
The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office stated that a detective from its Criminal Investigations Section has been assigned to the case. Authorities emphasized that there is no indication of deliberate wrongdoing, but the circumstances merit a thorough review.
10 Tampa Bay News’ Hadia Moosvi contributed to this report.
Key Information
- Location: Bahia Vista Street, Sarasota, Florida
- Incident: Young girl swept into storm drain due to broken water main and heavy rain.
- Time of Incident: Approximately 6:30 p.m. on Sunday.
- Current Status: Girl remains in critical condition at Sarasota Memorial Hospital.
- Witness Accounts: Neighbors reported rapid water flow and quick response from emergency services.
- Emergency Response: Detective assigned; no indication of foul play.
Article original publish date: 2025-08-25 23:01:00
Article source: www.wtsp.com
Read the full story at the original source: www.wtsp.com
