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Orlando community mourns 7-year-old girl killed in drag racing accident: 'Pain of loss is immeasurable'

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Orlando community mourns 7-year-old girl killed in drag racing accident: 'Pain of loss is immeasurable'

A drag racing track in Orlando, Florida, is mourning the loss of a 7-year-old girl who died from injuries sustained in an accident over the weekend.

Elienisse Zoe Díaz Rodriguez died on Tuesday after an accident during a race at the Orlando Speed World Dragway on Sunday. Her family said on a GoFundMe account that she fought “for her life” for two days before she was declared brain-dead at 10:54 p.m. on Tuesday.

Orange County Fire Rescue received 911 reports of an accident between a car and a person at the Orlando Speed World track at 11:20 a.m. on Sunday.

Rodriguez was racing her Junior Dragster racecar when she lost control of it, striking a 34-year-old safety guide employee before crashing into a concrete wall, according to Florida Highway Patrol. The employee was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

DIRT TRACK RACING LEGEND KILLED IN TENNESSEE PLANE CRASH

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Elienisse Zoe Díaz Rodriguez, 7, died on Tuesday after an accident at the Orlando Speed World Dragway in Florida over the weekend, according to the racetrack. (Orlando Speed World Dragway/Facebook)

In a post on Facebook, the Orlando speedway said it is “deeply heartbroken” by the “tragic incident,” offering “thoughts and prayers” to the little girl’s loved ones and the racing community, in general.

“Motorsports is built on passion, but moments like these remind us of the risks that come with what we love. While injuries can heal, the pain of loss is immeasurable,” the post said, in part. 

It concluded: “We stand together in support, mourning, and prayer during this difficult time. We extend our deepest condolences to those grieving and will continue to uplift them in our thoughts.”

Orlando Speed World Dragway

Orange County Fire Rescue responded to an accident between a racing car and a person at the Orlando Speed World track at 11:20 a.m. on Sunday. (Orlando Speed World Dragway/Facebook)

INDYCAR DRIVER GOES AIRBORNE IN SCARY CRASH AT INDIANAPOLIS 500 PRACTICE 

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Rodriguez was a first-grade student at Eastland Christian School in Orlando, according to FOX 35, and was described as bright and beautiful by school officials.

“She was a bright light in our school community, and we are thankful for the time we had with her. Her beautiful smile will be deeply missed by all of us,” the school said in a statement. “We will hold Elienisse’s memory close to our hearts. Thank you for your understanding and support as we come together to mourn this loss and remember the joy she brought to all of us.”

Elienisse Zoe Diaz Rodriguez drag racer

The 7-year-old junior drag racer was declared brain-dead on Tuesday, two days after her accident at the Orlando Speed World Dragway. (Orlando Speed World Dragway/Facebook)

As of early Friday morning, the GoFundMe account set up to help the family pay for funeral costs had more than $25,300 in donations.

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Florida boat capsizes, leaving 1 person dead; Coast Guard suspends search for 3 others, including 2 children

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Florida boat capsizes, leaving 1 person dead; Coast Guard suspends search for 3 others, including 2 children

The Coast Guard on Saturday evening, just before 7 p.m., said it was suspending the search for three passengers, including an adult and two children, after a boat capsized on the St. Johns River in Jacksonville, Florida, near Goat Island, leaving one person dead.

Around 7 p.m. Friday, Coast Guard Sector Jacksonville received an alert of a capsized 18-foot vessel with four people atop the overturned boat and four others trapped underneath. 

The four people on top of the boat were rescued. None of the passengers were wearing life jackets, the Coast Guard said. 

The Coast Guard said it had searched for 17 hours, covering 270 square miles, and the search would be suspended, “pending the development of new information.”

US COAST GUARD RESCUES 3 AFTER BOAT CAPSIZES OFF FLORIDA COAST: VIDEO

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A Coast Guard member scans the St. Johns River Saturday for three missing boaters after their boat overturned in Jacksonville, Fla. (U.S. Coast Guard)

“We extend our deepest sympathies to the family and loved ones of those missing,” Lt. Cmdr. Barton Nanney, a Coast Guard Sector Jacksonville search and rescue mission coordinator, said in a statement. “Suspending search efforts is an incredibly difficult and heartbreaking decision, made only after an exhaustive and thorough search. We are truly grateful to our partner agencies for their relentless efforts and unwavering support.” ​

The Coast Guard launched a rescue boat and helicopter crew, and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission assisted in the search. 

“The four people on top of the vessel were rescued by a Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office marine unit, and one person was recovered from the water unresponsive,” the agency said in a news release Saturday. “A Coast Guard Station Mayport rescue surface swimmer attempted to contact the people reportedly underneath the vessel but received no responses. 

“Divers from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office searched underneath the vessel but did not locate any people.” 

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Coast Guard member piloting rescue boat

A Coast Guard member searches the St. Johns River Saturday for three missing boaters after their boat overturned in Jacksonville, Fla. (U.S. Coast Guard)

“At this point, we have found one person from the missing, and they are deceased,” Jacksonville Fire Rescue Department Capt. Eric Prosswimmer told reporters late Friday. “It’s a really unfortunate situation, and our hearts go out to all the family members.”

Officials haven’t released the age of the person who died. 

St. Johns River

A Coast Guard boat searches the St. Johns River in Jacksonville, Fla.  (U.S. Coast Guard)

The cause of the capsizing is under investigation. 

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Fox News Digital has reached out to the Jacksonville Fire Rescue Department. 

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'Most hated mom' Casey Anthony returns to national spotlight after acquittal in daughter's murder

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'Most hated mom' Casey Anthony returns to national spotlight after acquittal in daughter's murder

“America’s most hated mom,” Casey Anthony, is now promoting a new video series on TikTok in which she intends to speak about legal issues and “advocate” for her daughter, Caylee, whom she was accused of killing in 2008.

Anthony, now 38, was accused of killing her 2-year-old daughter in 2008 but has alleged that her father is the real perpetrator. 

“This is my first of probably many recordings on a series I am starting,” Anthony said in a March 1 video posted to TikTok. “I am a legal advocate. I am a researcher. I have been in the legal field since 2011, and in this capacity, I feel that it’s necessary if I’m going to continue to operate appropriately as a legal advocate that I start to advocate for myself and also advocate for my daughter.”

She continued: “For those of you who don’t know, my name is Casey Anthony. My daughter is Caylee Anthony. My parents are George and Cindy Anthony. This is not about them. This is not in response to anything that they have said or done. … The whole point of this is for me to begin to reintroduce myself.”

CASEY ANTHONY’S PARENTS TOOK POLYGRAPH TEST TO ‘CLEAR THEIR NAME,’ EXPERT SAYS

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Casey Anthony was found guilty of lying to law enforcement officers but not guilty of murder charges.  (Joe Burbank, Orlando Sentinel)

Casey Anthony has become a household name over the last 17 years, inspiring multiple TV series and documentaries, including Peacock’s “Casey Anthony: Where The Truth Lies,” which premiered in 2022. A jury found Anthony guilty of lying to law enforcement but not guilty of first-degree murder, aggravated manslaughter and aggravated child abuse after a trial in 2011. Caylee’s death remains unsolved.

Here is the timeline of events leading up to and after Caylee Anthony’s disappearance: 

June 9, 2008

9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Casey Anthony said she dropped her daughter off at her nanny’s apartment — a claim that was later revealed to be false, according to court documents.

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EXCLUSIVE: CASEY ANTHONY’S FATHER SEEN FOR FIRST TIME AFTER TAKING POLYGRAPH TEST ABOUT GRANDDAUGHTER’S MURDER

Casey said she then left for her job at Universal Studios Orlando — another claim later determined to be false.

5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Casey said she left her job around 5 p.m. and drove back to her nanny’s apartment complex to pick up Caylee. She apparently tried to contact her nanny, but her phone had been disconnected. Casey later alleged that no one was home, so she drove to Jay Blanchard Park.

Caylee Anthony looking up and placing her head on her hand

Caylee Anthony’s death in 2008 remains unsolved. (Orlando Sentinel/Orlando Sentinel/Tribune News Service)

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Casey said she went to her then-boyfriend Anthony Lazzaro’s apartment and stayed with him from then on as she searched for her daughter.

June 12, 2008

Casey alleged she received a “quick call” from her daughter’s nanny on June 12, but she still did not know the whereabouts of the 2-year-old. She also said in a statement ahead of her trial that she had not called police at this point out of fear of her family.

June 15, 2008

Casey later revealed that the last time she saw her daughter was on June 16, 2008.

She said she and Caylee had been resting together in her bed that day because she “wasn’t feeling that great.” She said she thought she had locked the door of the room they were in but was awoken by her father, George, asking her where Caylee was.

“She would never even leave my room without telling me,” Casey told filmmakers in an interview featured in the 2022 Peacock documentary.

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She continued: “I immediately started looking around the house. … I go outside, and I’m looking to see where she could be. She’s not in her playhouse. Where is she?”

When filmmakers asked if she looked inside the pool, Casey said she “didn’t have to.”

July 15, 2008

12 p.m.

Casey alleged that over a month after her daughter’s disappearance, on July 15, 2008, she received a phone call from Caylee.

“Today was the first day I have heard her voice in over four weeks,” Casey wrote in a 2008 statement. “I’m afraid of what Caylee is going through. After 31 days, I know that the only thing that matters is getting my daughter back.”

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Casey’s parents, George and Cindy Anthony, called law enforcement multiple times to report their granddaughter missing and other nefarious activity.

“In the first two calls, Cindy Anthony requested police assistance in recovering a vehicle and money allegedly stolen by [Casey],” court records state. “In the third 9-1-1 call, Cindy Anthony reported that her granddaughter, Caylee, had been missing for approximately thirty days. Cindy Anthony testified that she made these phone calls because [Casey] would not tell her where Caylee was.”

CASEY ANTHONY MYSTERY: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

A cross at Caylee Anthony's memorial

A cross is set up in the Caylee Anthony memorial that has been placed in the area where the 2-year-old’s remains were found on July 16, 2011 in Orlando, Florida.  (Joe Raedle)

In the 911 calls, Cindy apparently told police that Casey’s car smelled like a “dead body,” according to Click Orlando.

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“I called a little bit ago to the deputy sheriff’s and I’ve found out that my granddaughter has been taken — she has been missing for a month,” Cindy told emergency services. “Her mother had finally admitted that she had been missing.”

“We are talking about a 3-year-old little girl,” Cindy continued. “My daughter finally admitted that the baby sitter stole her. I need to find her.”

“There is something wrong. I found my daughter’s car today and it smells like there’s been a dead body in the damn car.”

— Cindy Anthony to 911

The 911 operator then asked for clarity on the missing girl’s location.

“She said she took her a month ago and my daughter has been looking for her,” Cindy said. “I told you, my daughter has been missing for a month and I just found her today. But I can’t find my granddaughter. She just admitted to me that she’s been trying to find her by herself. There is something wrong. I found my daughter’s car today and it smells like there’s been a dead body in the damn car.”

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CASEY ANTHONY’S PARENTS TAKE LIE-DETECTOR TEST ABOUT GRANDDAUGHTER’S DEATH: ‘SOME WOUNDS ARE JUST TOO DEEP’

A courtroom monitor shows Casey Anthony, right, talking with her father George

A courtroom monitor shows Casey Anthony talking with her father, George Anthony, while she was in jail in a video presented as evidence in her trial at the Orange County Courthouse in Orlando, Florida, Friday, June 3, 2011. (Red Huber/Orlando Sentinel/Tribune News Service)

Law enforcement arrived at the Anthony family home that evening, separated the family members and got statements from each of them. Casey Anthony willingly gave a statement to police at the time, telling them she last saw her daughter with the nanny.

July 16, 2008

3:30 a.m. to 7 a.m.

A detective arrived at the Anthony residence around 3:30 a.m.

Around 4:10 a.m., the detective spoke with Casey in a spare bedroom with the door open. The interview, which reaffirmed her written statement, was recorded with Casey’s consent.

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The detective then drove with Casey to the nanny’s apartment complex and two other locations where she believed the nanny may have lived later that morning, according to court documents.

Casey was arrested later that day for child neglect, obstruction and making fraudulent statements after authorities determined that her claims about dropping Caylee off with her nanny and working at Universal Studios were determined to be false.

An image displayed on a courtroom monitor shows a photo entered into evidence in the Casey Anthony trial at the Orange County Courthouse on Friday, June 10, 2011, in Orlando, Florida.

Photo on the left shows wording found on a shirt. The photo on the right shows Caylee Anthony with her mother Casey. Caylee is wearing a shirt with the same lettering.  (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel/MCT)

July 22, 2008

Police name Casey as a person of interest in her daughter’s disappearance.

Oct. 14, 2008

A grand jury indicts Casey Anthony on a murder charge in connection with her daughter’s presumed death. She is detained in jail until her trial in 2011.

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Dec. 11, 2008

A utility worker located Caylee’s skeletal remains in a wooded area about a half-mile from the Anthony family’s home on Dec. 11, 2008. Casey Anthony’s attorneys would later file a court motion implicating the utility worker in connection with the crime. He would file a defamation suit years later in 2013.

An image of Cindy Anthony, left, and Caylee projected on a courtroom monitor is submitted into evidence in the Casey Anthony murder trial at the Orange County Courthouse in Orlando, Florida, Friday, June 24, 2011.

Jose Baez, who represented Athony during her trial, argued that Caylee accidentally drowned in the family’s above-ground swimming pool in June 2008 and Casey’s parents then attempted to cover up her death and dispose of her remains, which George and Cindy have vehemently denied.  (Red Huber/Orlando Sentinel/MCT)

May 24, 2011

Casey’s murder trial began on May 24, 2011, and lasted more than six weeks. Her parents and her brother were among those called as witnesses. 

Jose Baez, who represented Athony during her trial, argued that Caylee accidentally drowned in the family’s above-ground swimming pool in June 2008 and Casey’s parents then attempted to cover up her death and dispose of her remains, which George and Cindy have vehemently denied. 

Prosecutors argued that Casey Anthony suffocated her daughter with chloroform and taped the 2-year-old’s mouth shut. 

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July 5, 2011

After deliberating for 11 hours, a Florida jury found Anthony not guilty of first-degree murder, aggravated manslaughter and aggravated child abuse. She was convicted of lying to law enforcement.

Casey Anthony crying after she found out she's not guilty

Casey Anthony reacts to being found not guilty on murder charges at the Orange County Courthouse on July 5, 2011 in Orlando, Florida.  (Red Huber-Pool)

Anthony admitted to The Associated Press in 2017 that she did lie about Caylee being with a babysitter, about speaking with Caylee over the phone one day before the girl disappeared, about working for Universal Studios and about telling people that her daughter was missing. 

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Fox News Digital’s Stephanie Nolasco and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Georgia sorority girl seen in 'smiling' mugshot arrested again weeks after 1st run in with police

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Georgia sorority girl seen in 'smiling' mugshot arrested again weeks after 1st run in with police

The University of Georgia sorority girl, who was nicknamed “Miss America,” after her smiling mugshot went viral, was arrested again for the second time in weeks. 

Lily Stewart, a sophomore Alpha Chi Omega at the University of Georgia, was arrested for the second time this month after her first arrest at the beginning of March for excessive speeding.

According to Athens-Clarke County online records, Stewart, 20, was arrested on Sunday, March 23, for obstruction of a law enforcement officer and loitering/prowling.

Stewart has since posted her $4,600 bond and was released from police custody shortly before 11 a.m.

GEORGIA SORORITY GIRL’S ‘SMILING’ MUGSHOT GOES VIRAL: ‘LOCKED UP MISS AMERICA’

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The University of Georgia student, Lily Stewart, who went viral for her smiling mugshot earlier this month, has been arrested again. (TMZ/Athens-Clarke County Jail Records)

Fox News Digital reached out to UGA for details about her latest arrest, but did not immediately receive a response. 

An attorney representing Stewart, Stephen Morris, said they had no comment on her latest arrest.

Stewart first made headlines on March 8 after images of her mugshot surfaced when she was pulled over twice in a matter of minutes for speeding “in excess of maximum limits,” the Georgia State Police shared in a previous police report with Fox News Digital. An officer pulled Stewart over for going 79 mph in a 55 mph zone, according to the report.

Stewart was issued a citation, and approximately two minutes later, she was pulled over again in her 2021 Volvo XC40, going at an even faster rate of speed, clocking in at 84 mph in the 55 mph zone. 

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She told PEOPLE in a previous interview that she was on her way to a party in Milledgeville, Ga. that a fraternity was throwing at Georgia College & State University when she was pulled over.

VIRAL SENSATION ‘LIEUTENANT DAN’ ARRESTED FOR BOAT BEING ‘PUBLIC HEALTH HAZARD’: POLICE

Lily Stewart, 20

Stewart was arrested for the second time in weeks and appeared in another smiling mugshot.  (Lily Stewart Facebook)

However, it was her smiling mugshot that attracted attention across the internet. 

Stewart even took to TikTok to address her arrest and shared some of the most “unhinged” comments in her video.

“The only crime here is stealing my heart,” one person commented.

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“idc what she did, she’s innocent,” another person wrote.

“I don’t know what she did but free her,” another comment read.

POLICE DOG’S MUGSHOT GOES VIRAL AFTER PUP ALLEGEDLY STEALS OFFICER’S LUNCH

Mugshot of Lily Stewart

University of Georgia student and Alpha Chi Omega sorority member Lily Stewart was arrested after being caught speeding twice in a matter of minutes on March 8.  (Morgan County Sheriff’s Office)

Several people even offered to pay her bail.

Stewart told the outlet that she has gained thousands of new social media followers from her viral mugshot. 

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“I look like a basic white girl, and I am,” Stewart said, adding, “I think it’s hilarious. One of them was like, ‘We know she has a monogram rain jacket’ — which I do.”

“There are some beautiful mug shots. I don’t think mine’s particularly stunning,” Stewart explained. “I actually think it’s a bad photo of me. If you see me in person, I don’t really look the same as I do in that mug shot. I don’t think it’s a great photo of me.”

Following her first arrest, Stewart interviewed with TMZ and described the entire ordeal to the outlet, claiming being booked into jail was “the craziest experience she had ever seen.”

“I paid my bond, got my mugshot, and another officer drove me to the tow yard where they took my car. It was definitely an experience and never experienced anything like that, hopefully never again.” 

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Stepheny Price is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. She covers topics including missing persons, homicides, national crime cases, illegal immigration, and more. Story tips and ideas can be sent to stepheny.price@fox.com

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