SARASOTA, Fla. (WSVN)– A tragic incident unfolded in Sarasota County when a young girl was swept away into a storm drain.
According to investigators, the alarming event occurred shortly after 6:00 p.m. on Sunday evening.
The girl was playing near a storm drain with friends when a forceful current, caused by a broken water main, suddenly pulled her into the drain.
She was carried away for hundreds of feet before rescue crews managed to retrieve her.
“What we saw was essentially a waterfall. Water was rushing down the street,” said local resident Tom McGhee. “You could see the flow flooding the roadway.”
McGhee shared a clip from his Ring doorbell camera, depicting approximately four feet of water inundating the street.
Emergency responders arrived within minutes and quickly raced westward after realizing the little girl had been swept into the pipe.
“I have no idea how she fell in there, but the water was powerful enough that anyone walking nearby could easily be swept away,” McGhee added.
Authorities reported that the girl was pushed almost 100 yards through the drainage system before firefighters successfully pulled her from the drain.
Following her rescue, she was rushed to Sarasota Memorial Hospital, where she is currently fighting for her life.
A woman at the girl’s home, who preferred not to be named, expressed deep gratitude to the rescue teams and urged others to pray for the child’s recovery.
“Everyone was incredible—the officers, the firefighters,” she said. “They mentioned it’s going to take a miracle, so we’re asking for prayers because God can work miracles… She experienced a lot of them just to be rescued.”
The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office has assigned a detective from their criminal division to investigate the incident, deeming it necessary given the circumstances.
Key Information
- Location: Sarasota County, Florida
- Incident Time: Shortly after 6:00 p.m. on a Sunday
- Culprit: A broken water main causing a strong current
- Rescue Duration: Girl dragged hundreds of feet before rescue
- Current Status: Girl hospitalized and fighting for her life
- Investigation: Full investigation by Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office
Article original publish date: 2025-08-26 19:49:00
Article source: wsvn.com
Read the full story at the original source: wsvn.com
