BONITA SPRINGS — The Lee County Sheriff's Office says an 11-year-old girl drowned Sunday, while she was at a Bonita Springs beach.
The sheriff's office said the girl was with her family at Little Hickory Beach but could not swim and was not wearing a flotation device.
Fox 4 community corespondent Stephen Pimpo spoke with beach goers who said they are shocked something like this could happen at a place that is supposed to be a peaceful oasis:
The sheriff's office said they responded to Little Hickory Beach just before 7 p.m. They said the girl was with her family and was in water that was knee-deep for a 15 to 20-foot stretch before it dropped off to five to six feet deep.
“You don’t hear about drownings happening too often around here," said Cody Adkins, who visits the beach often from Spring Hill. "It’s been a long time since I heard about something like this happening.”
The sheriff’s office said the girl did not know how to swim and the family and witnesses pulled her to shore and started doing CPR before they got to the scene.
The girl was taken to the hospital where she was pronounced dead.
“It’s just horrific to learn that a child was lost and that a family is dealing with that and of course our thoughts go out to them and our prayers,” said Punta Gorda resident Jacque Duffner.
The sheriff's office said rip tides were not a factor and Fox 4 meteorologists said there were 10 mile and hour winds at the time, making for calm conditions.
“We don’t have big waves over here so it’s kind of confusing," said Jazmine Hunter, who comes from Naples to visit the beach several times a week. "Maybe we should have lifeguards? I’m not sure.”
The sheriff’s office said the family is local and no criminal charges are being filed.
“Definitely an unexpected tragedy for a beach like this,” Hunter said.
