Officials have stated that two individuals are being charged in connection with the death of a teenager who was wakeboarding in Biscayne Bay after being struck and killed by a boat. The incident occurred in the previous year.
In the case of the death of Ella Riley Adler, who was 15 years old at the time of her death on May 11, 2024, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission made the announcement on Tuesday.
According to officials from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Adler was wakeboarding while being towed approximately one mile west of Mashta Point at Key Biscayne when she fell into the ocean and was struck by another vessel.
79-year-old Carlos Guillermo Alonso, who was operating the boat that struck her, is being charged with two misdemeanour counts of careless operation of a vessel, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
According to officials from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Edmund Richard Hartley, 31, the operator of the boat that was hauling Adler, is facing four misdemeanour counts of careless operation of a vessel.
“The Family and Friends of Ella Adler’s family and friends have our sincerest condolences,” the FWC said. According to a statement released by the organisation, “Our thoughts continue to be with them as they continue to cope with this unimaginable loss.”
In addition to being a student at Ransom Everglades High School, Adler was a talented ballet performer who had participated in more than one hundred performances with the Miami City Ballet at the Adrienne Arsht Centre.
“We are deeply grateful to the State Attorney’s Office and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for their diligence, professionalism, and commitment throughout this unimaginable process,” the Adlers said in a statement that was issued by their attorney. “We are deeply grateful to both of these organisations.” “Their efforts have brought a measure of accountability and clarity during the most painful time in our lives.”
According to the family, they have formed a foundation in the name of the adolescent.
“Through the newly established Ella Riley Adler Foundation, we are committed to advancing causes that reflect her passions and values, including Jewish community and continuity, education, and the arts, especially dance,” the organisation stated in their statement.
A statement was released by the attorney for Alonso, who goes by the name Bill, stating that they were taken aback by the allegations and are looking into the reason why they were brought.
“What took place the previous year was a complete and utter disaster. In spite of this, Bill was not to blame. On that particular day, Bill exhibited the kind of cautious and seasoned boater that he is known for. It was made clear to us by the FWC that they did not believe that Bill’s activities were the cause of the accident, as stated by Lauren Field Krasnoff. Due to the fact that this was the case, we were taken aback when we discovered the citations. We are aware that the FWC is experiencing a great deal of stress as a result of recent occurrences. However, now that we have been informed that Bill was not to blame, we will need to investigate this choice to charge him a year later with the necessary information.
