A teenage girl who was enjoying waterskiing in Biscayne Bay was tragically killed in a hit-and-run boating accident Near Key Biscayne, officials said, with the search intensifying for the boat driver who fled the scene. Ransom Everglades School confirmed that the victim was 15-year-old Ella Riley Adler, a student and ballet performer, as reported by NBC Miami.
The fatal encounter took place Saturday afternoon during a friend’s birthday celebration, the joy brutally cut short when Adler was struck by a large center console fishing boat; the vessel is said to be light blue, possibly with blue or dark blue bottom paint and powered by white outboard engines, according to a witness who spoke with NBC Miami under the condition of anonymity, the impact was severe and reports over the radio mentioned "a lot of blood in the water."
In a statement obtained by NBC Miami, Ransom Everglades Head of School Rachel Rodriguez expressed the community's grief, stating "Our hearts are broken and our community has been devastated by this tragedy," she was remembered as shining in classrooms and on stage and an active member of the Jewish Student Association and speech and debate team.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is aggressively pursuing leads, pulling over boats in the vicinity and a reward of up to $20,000 is being offered for information that aids in the investigation as captured by a Hoodline report; the FWC confirmed Adler was not actively waterskiing but waiting in the water with the board attached and wearing a life jacket when struck, and they are asking anyone with information to call their hotline at 888-404-3922.
