Dad and 10-Year-Old Daughter Die After Getting Swept Away by Rip Current on Family Beach Outing
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Michael Stephens, 42, was in the water at Pass-a-Grille beach when he and his 10-year-old daughter Isabella got caught in a "strong" rip current and drowned, according to authorities
Authorities in Florida say a father and his 10-year-old daughter died after they were swept away by a dangerous rip current over the weekend.
Michael Stephens, 42, and his daughter Isabella were visiting Pass-a-Grille Beach with a group of loved ones on Sunday, according to a press release from the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office (PCSO).
Detectives say the two were in the water with Michael's 20-year-old daughter Brittany and her boyfriend Jessie Johnson, 20, when the outgoing rip current began to "strengthen," per the PCSO's release.
Johnson was able to help Brittany out of the water, but when he returned to help the others, he realized Michael and Isabella "were too far from shore," the sheriff's office said.
Michael's 13-year-old daughter called for help as Johnson attempted to rescue the pair from the current, which "had become too strong," according to police, who responded to the call at 6:43 p.m.
Search crews in the air located the father-daughter duo about a half-mile from the coast just before 8 p.m., the sheriff's office said.
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Veronica Meek, of Colorado, said she watched rescuers bring them to shore, saying that both individuals looked "unwell," according to WGN-TV and NBC affiliate WFLA.
Rescuers performed CPR on both victims after they were brought to shore, Meek said, per the reports.
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Michael and Isabella were transported to a local hospital, where they were later pronounced dead, according to the PCSO.
An investigation into the incident is ongoing, per the sheriff's office, which said their deaths are not considered suspicious.
Related:Florida Dad Dies After Saving Friend's 6-Year-Old Child from Drowning: 'He Is a Hero Now,' Says Wife
Nearly 30 people have died from rip currents in the U.S. in 2023, including six additional victims — ages 17 to 75 — in Florida, according to the National Weather Service.
In 2022, 14 people were killed in Florida due to riptides, per NWS data.
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