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9 killed – including 6 kids – when family’s SUV plunges into Fla. canal in birthday weekend tragedy

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9 killed – including 6 kids – when family’s SUV plunges into Fla. canal in birthday weekend tragedy


Nine family members were killed — including several young children — when a packed SUV on Monday ran off a South Florida road, crashed into a guardrail and landed upside down in a canal, officials said.

Only one passenger survived the deadly wreck and was hospitalized in serious condition.

“I’ve been with the department for 20 years, and this is one of the most difficult scenes I’ve been on,” Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Capt. Tom Reyes said.

The tragedy occurred around 7:30 p.m. as the four adults and six children from out of state passed through Belle Glade and came to a sharp left curve, the Palm Beach Sherrif’s Office said.

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The driver lost control of the SUV, smashed into a guardrail and plunged into a nearby canal, police said.

Driver Pamela Wiggins, who would have turned 57 on Tuesday, failed to negotiate the turn “for undetermined reasons” and careened off the road, according to police.

The SUV smashed into the guardrail, flipped and tumbled into the water — where it became so submerged that only its wheels were visible, Reyes said.

Four victims were pronounced dead at the scene and five others died at the hospital, according to police.

The dead include six children: 1-year-old Naleia Tucker; 3-year-old Ziaire Mack; 5-year-olds Yasire Smith and Kamdien Edwards; 8-year-old Imani Andre Ajani Hall and 14-year-old Michael Anthony Hall Jr.

Little Kamdien Edwards, 5, was one of the six kids killed in the tragedy.

Leiana Alyse Hall, 30; Anyia Monique Lee Tucker, 21, and Wiggins were also killed.

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Jorden Rickey Hall, 26, is the lone survivor of the tragedy and is in serious condition.

The family — who hailed from Bridgeport, Connecticut and Chesapeake, Virginia — was visiting Florida for a family member’s birthday party, according to grieving loved ones.

Rescuers said only the wheels of the car were visible in the water.

The crash occurred on the final day of the trip, Anntianette Edwards, who lost her son Kamdien, told WPBF.

“They were heading to the airport to come back to Connecticut,” Anntianette said.

The family was driving a 2023 Ford Explorer, which has a maximum capacity of seven people, according to Ford dealership websites.

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Family members said the group was in Florida to celebrate a birthday. AP

None of the passengers in the overloaded car were wearing seatbelts at the time of the fatal wreck, police said.

Police are investigating the cause of the crash.

Belle Glade is a farming community just south of Lake Okeechobee and about 45 miles west of West Palm Beach.

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Rainy stretch continues in South Florida

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Rainy stretch continues in South Florida


South Florida is experiencing a prolonged stretch of wet weather as deep tropical moisture combines with a stalled frontal boundary across the region.

The result has been frequent showers, thunderstorms, periods of heavy rainfall, and localized flooding concerns from Broward to Miami-Dade and throughout the Keys.

The atmosphere is loaded with moisture, allowing storms to produce intense downpours in a short amount of time.

Some neighborhoods have already seen several inches of rain, with additional rounds of showers and thunderstorms expected through the end of the week.

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Flood-prone streets and poor drainage areas remain especially vulnerable during the heaviest rainfall.

While the rain is helping ease drought conditions, it is also increasing the risk of flash flooding and travel delays.

South Florida is two weeks into its rainy season, when abundant heat and humidity combine to generate daily rounds of showers and thunderstorms.

Heavy rainfall, frequent lightning, and gusty winds are common features of this time of year.

The good news? Drier air will gradually filter into parts of the region heading into the weekend, allowing rain chances to slightly decrease. Until then, keep the umbrella handy and be prepared for sudden tropical downpours.

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Man accused of kidnapping woman at Wawa in Central Florida

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Man accused of kidnapping woman at Wawa in Central Florida


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A man is in custody after deputies said he tried to kidnap a woman at a Wawa near Winter park. Per investigators, Matthew Seaberg approached the victim from behind, picked her up by the waist, and threw her into his truck.



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Jury selection continues in fatal boat crash trial of South Florida real estate mogul George Pino

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Jury selection continues in fatal boat crash trial of South Florida real estate mogul George Pino


MIAMI — A new group of prospective jurors was questioned Tuesday in the trial of South Florida real estate mogul George Pino, who is charged in connection with a 2022 boat crash that killed a teenager in Miami-Dade County.

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During jury selection in a Miami-Dade courtroom, Judge Marisa Tinkler Mendez asked potential jurors what they already knew about the case and whether they had recently seen or heard anything about it.

Several prospective jurors said they knew only basic details, including that a fatal boating crash occurred and that a teenage girl died. Others said they recalled media reports that alcohol may have been involved.

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As questioning continued, some prospective jurors disclosed connections to schools and communities tied to the case.

Passengers aboard Pino’s boat included his wife, his teenage daughter and 11 of her friends, many of whom attended private schools in Miami-Dade County.

One prospective juror said they graduated from a local private school around the time of the crash and were familiar with some of the students involved.

Another said references to schools and witnesses brought back memories of seeing posts and articles about the incident shared on social media.

A third said their child participates in youth sports with students from schools connected to the case.

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Investigators said the boat struck a channel marker while returning from an outing on Biscayne Bay. Seventeen-year-old Lourdes Academy student Lucy Fernandez drowned after the crash.

Tinkler Mendez also addressed concerns that a prospective juror had been viewing a news report about the case on a cellphone while waiting outside the courtroom.

Another prospective juror reported hearing the report but said it was not loud enough for everyone in the area to hear.

Tinkler Mendez reminded prospective jurors to avoid news coverage and social media discussions related to the case as jury selection continues.

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