Neighbors Hopeful for a Miracle After Young Girl Is Carried Away by Storm Drain

Key Information

• Incident Location: Bahia Vista Street, east of Honore Avenue, near Sarasota Christian School
• Victim: A young girl, who was swept into a storm drain due to a water main break
• Rescue Details: The child was located about 100 yards west of where she disappeared; immediate resuscitative efforts were performed
• Condition: The girl is in critical condition and was taken to Sarasota Memorial Hospital
• Investigation: Ongoing investigation by Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office
• Community Support: Donations are being accepted through a GoFundMe page

Authorities have reported that a young girl was playing near a culvert on Bahia Vista Street when a nearby water main broke, resulting in increased water flow. Tragically, the girl was pulled into the drain by the strong current.

Firefighters subsequently located the child in the drainage system approximately 100 yards west of Bahia Vista Street.

She was taken to Sarasota Memorial Hospital for urgent medical attention.

UPDATED COVERAGE | Child swept into storm drain remains in critical condition as investigation continues

According to Sarasota County Fire Department Assistant Chief Tim Dorsey, this scenario is a rare and high-risk event. “There’s a tremendous amount of risk and danger,” he noted. Rescuers efficiently mapped out a search area and successfully located the child, initiating lifesaving procedures before her transport to the hospital.

The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office has assigned a detective from the Criminal Investigation Section to the case, which remains under active investigation.

A neighbor, who wished to remain anonymous, recounted the chaotic moments leading up to the rescue: “All of a sudden I hear these noises, people talking and shouting… I heard that one of the neighbors’ little girls was playing in the water and got swept down.”

The community has rallied around the family, offering support and hoping for a positive outcome. One neighbor expressed the gravity of the situation: “I can’t fathom what they are going through right now. We are really praying, just really devastated for the family, but really praying for a miracle.”

The neighbor added that her daughter would have been playing outside with friends had it not been for a planned visit to her grandmother. “My daughter is actually friends of hers, and she asked if we would want to play in the water with them,” she explained. “And they would have, if they hadn’t been going to Grandma’s. Just devastating.”

To assist the family, donations are being accepted via a GoFundMe page set up by the victim’s relatives.