How dangerous are sand holes? Florida professor explains following girl’s tragic death

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A 7-year-old girl died on Tuesday after becoming trapped while digging a hole in the sand on a Florida beach.

The girl, identified as Sloan Mattingly, and her 9-year-old brother, Maddox, from Indiana, were digging a hole on Lauderdale-by-the-Sea Beach around 3:15 p.m. when the hole collapsed and they got buried underneath the sand.

Sloan was completely buried underneath the boy, who was buried up to his chest in the sand. A spokesperson for Pompano Beach Fire Rescue said the hole was about five or six feet deep.

After being taken to a nearby hospital, Sloan died, while her brother remains hospitalized in critical condition.

How dangerous are sand holes?

Sand holes can be a death trap, Dr. Stephen Leatherman with Florida International University’s Department of Earth and Environment told NBC affiliate WTVJ.

The bigger the hole you dig, the more dangerous they become. Leatherman advised beachgoers not to dig a more that’s more than 2 feet deep.

“When people dig holes more than 2 feet deep and get in them, at least where their body’s below the sand level, sand starts drying out immediately,” Leatherman told WTVJ. “And dry sand can only hold a 33-degree angle, and people dig these holes almost vertically.”

The sides of the sand hole can begin to cave in and cave in quickly. If someone steps on the edge of the hole before the sand dries out, it may result in a collapse.

“No deep holes, absolute no no, it’s a death trap, it’s so so sad and always seems to be children,” Leatherman said.

Can people be rescued from sand holes?

Sand hole rescues are tricky. In this case, it’s likely hundreds of pounds of dirt fell onto the children.

During Tuesday’s tragic events, bystanders swooped in to try to save the children who got trapped in the hole, as shown through a video taken by a witness.

Emergency responders, who arrived just minutes after the 911 call, used support boards to keep the sand from further collapsing, as well as shovels, WTVJ said.

“People think it’s like snow avalanches or something,” Leatherman told WTVJ. “It’s really quite different. An avalanche, people have been saved. Snow is kind of light. An avalanche occurs, and the snow can be a little blocky, and there are gonna be air pockets. There are no air pockets in sand.”

Foot traffic and beach waves may also quicken a sand collapse due to the vibrations.

“Trying to find somebody to recover them is very, very difficult and almost impossible,” Leatherman added.

Safety Tips

Playing in the sand is fun, but experts warn against digging holes in the sand. Leatherman said to stick with building sandcastles and only digging very shallow holes.

Parents are also encouraged to always keep an eye on their children and monitor their activity.

Beachgoers can choose to visit beaches with more lifeguards around in case something happens.

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