The harrowing details a seven-year-old girl's final moments have been released after she was tragically buried alive at a beach in Florida.
Last month (20 February), Indiana local, Sloan Mattingly, was sadly killed following an incident at the beach while holidaying in Florida.
The youngster had been visiting the holiday hotspot of Lauderdale-by-the-Sea with her family when she and her nine-year-old brother, Maddox, started to dig a huge hole in the sand at around 3.00pm.
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What started off as innocent family fun soon turned into heart-stopping disaster, after the sand walls of the hole began caving in on the siblings.
"She kept trying to grab up Maddox's leg"
By the time the emergency services arrived on the scene - four minutes after initial calls were made by witnesses - around 20 fellow beach-goers had surrounded the area and were attempting to dig through the sand to release Maddox and rescue Sloan.
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After the children were finally recovered from under the mountain of sand, paramedics rushed them to hospital to receive treatment as fast as possible.
Arriving at Broward Health Medical Center, Maddox was placed into a stable condition, but sadly, Sloan was pronounced dead.
"He couldn't feel her moving anymore"
Opening up about that fatal moment, Sloan's uncle Chris revealed that she attempted to 'grab up' at her older brother's leg 'to get out of the sand'.
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But, eventually, 'he couldn't feel her moving anymore'.
"She was non-responsive at the scene is what we know," he told KFOR.
Chris then recalled the moment he told his relatives the devastating news on a conference call.
He recounted: "Once we all got on the line, my brother, David, said, 'Ok. What I have to tell you is going to be the worst news of your entire life'. And it was. He said that she had passed away, that Sloanie had passed away.
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"Later we found out that after the sand had caved, she kept trying to grab up Maddox's leg to get up out of the sand, and eventually he couldn't feel her moving anymore. The sand had been up to his chest, and he was screaming for help, and a lot of people did come and help."
He also described Sloan as a child who was 'always happy' and 'really fun to be around', adding: "She had a lot of energy and just totally innocent, and that's what hurts the most in all this."
"Don’t tell us you’re sorry for our loss"
A fundraiser has since been set up to help the grieving family bring Sloan's body back home from Florida, cover funeral costs and to 'ease the financial stress as they learn to navigate their new world' on behalf of Sloan's mum, Therese.
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"A freak accident happened yesterday while we are here on vacation and it took away our greatest 7.5 years," she wrote.
"Don’t tell us you’re sorry for our loss… don’t do that to us. We experienced the purest human being and we are forever changed by her.
"We love you beyond any stretch of the imagination. Our sweet Sloan. What we would give."
Therese later added: "Sloan, your smile and presence has moved SO many people! You are SO very LOVED.
"We WILL get you home to your family and we will continue to wrap them in love and prayers."
The fundraiser has since raised $157,705 of the $150,000 goal. You can donate here.
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact Cruse Bereavement Care via their national helpline on 0808 808 1677.
Rhiannon Ingle