JULY 4, 2015
A 5-year-old Florida girl riding in a boat has died after a sturgeon leaped from the Suwannee River and struck her.
Wildlife officials said Jaylon Rippy died after being struck Thursday
night. Her mother and 9-year-old brother were also injured and taken to a
Gainesville hospital. Their condition was not known.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said this is the first
fatality recorded from a sturgeon strike on the Suwannee River. Four
people have been injured by jumping sturgeon this year.
The fish are known for leaping more than 7 feet above the water. They
can grow up to 8 feet long and weigh up to 200 pounds and can cause
serious injuries.