Officers locate boat connected to deadly hit-and-run crash that killed Florida teen
MIAMI, Fla. - The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says it has found a boat it believes was involved in a deadly crash over the weekend that killed a teenage girl who was water-skiing in Miami.
According to FWC, 15-year-old Ella Adler was water-skiing around 4:30 p.m. on Saturday in Biscayne Bay near the Nixon Beach sandbar.
Officers say she fell in the water and was being towed when she was struck by a boat that took off after hitting the Ransom Everglades student.
Adler died from her injuries.
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Using witness descriptions, FWC says it immediately began looking for the boat involved.
As of Tuesday, officers say they identified a vessel that matches the description and took it into custody.
Ella Riley Adler, 15 (Provided by the Adler family)
According to FWC, the boat’s owner is cooperating.
"Our community suffered a great loss this Mother’s Day weekend. As Chairman of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, I would like to thank all our officers and those from various law enforcement agencies who have worked and continue to work tirelessly on this investigation. The FWC and its officers have called in additional resources from other parts of the state and have worked around the clock to find the vessel involved in the accident. I am pleased to report that we have a vessel in custody that matches the description given by witnesses and the investigation is ongoing," said FWC Chairman Rodney Barreto. "As a father and grandfather, my heart is broken for the Adler family. Ella’s death is devastating for her family, friends, and the community at large. The FWC and our partner law enforcement agencies will not stop until we have all the answers and the case is solved."
According to an obituary, Adler was the great-granddaughter of Holocaust survivors. She loved to dance and was a member of the Ransom Everglades Jewish Students Association.
FWC says the investigation is still ongoing, and it still needs help from the public.
Anyone who saw the crash or who may have video is asked to call the Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-3922 or Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.
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