Recently, 15-year-old Ella Riley Adler was killed in a hit-and-run water skiing accident in South Florida this past weekend. Reportedly, authorities have located a boat that matches the description of the one that struck the teen and fled the crime.
At the time of the incident, the teenager was water skiing with friends off Key Biscayne near Nixon Beach late Saturday afternoon. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), a center console boat collided with the girl and sped away. “She was wearing a life vest, as well as the ski boards on her feet,” per FWC spokesperson George Reynaud.
FWC Chairman Rodney Barreto released a statement expressing the devastating loss the community is suffering amid the fatal accident that claimed Adler’s life. The chairman praised the authorities who are actively investigating the crime, seeking to bring the perpetrator to justice.
“Our community suffered a great loss this Mother’s Day weekend,” said Barreto. “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.”
At the time of the crash, Adler was celebrating a birthday party with friends on the water. Witnesses obtained a description of the boat that struck her, aiding the investigative efforts. “The boat has multiple white outboard motors and may have blue or dark blue bottom paint,” the FWC said.
Adler was a student at Ransom Everglades School, where she was an active dance team member. “When she walked into a room, everyone was drawn to her,” according to a statement from her family. “She loved to dance, she loved her friends, and most of all she loved her family.”
The 15-year-old was also proud of her Jewish heritage. “She was the great-granddaughter of Holocaust survivors,” Adler’s family noted. “She loved Israel and came from a long line of Jewish leaders with a strong commitment to faith and tikkun olam.”
Since the tragedy, Adler’s friends have left an outpouring of loving messages paying tribute to her. A friend, Lauren Scott, said, “At the beginning of this year when Ella joined the dance team, never would I imagine the impact she would have on me. From her smile to her contagious laugh, when Ella walked into the studio there was no way not to share her joy.”
Amma Fayad, another friend, wrote, “No one had ever made me feel so confident in myself or so happy to go to school, knowing that I was going to see her. She had a way of making you believe everything she said, because you knew that you could always trust her and confide in her. I never thought that I would have to say goodbye, especially so soon. I will miss you so much, and I can only hope that you rest in peace.”
Featured image credit: Levitt-Weinstein Memorial Chapels & Cemeteries
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