The operator of the vessel that struck and killed a 15-year-old girl in Biscayne Bay has been identified.
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 78-year-old Carlos Alonso is the person who was driving the vessel at the time of the incident.
The 15-year-old teen, identified as Ella Adler, was wakeboarding on Saturday near Nixon Beach Sandbar in Biscayne Bay when she fell into the water and was struck by the vessel, resulting in her death.
Investigators said the vessel hit her and kept going.
7News tried to talk to the family on Wednesday but nobody answered the door. 7News cameras captured Alonso leaving the home and covering his face.
FWC officials confiscated the vessel on Tuesday after they identified the vessel of interest linked to this incident.
The vessel was seen docked at Alonso’s home on Tuesday.
Officials took the vessel into their custody at the Coast Guard base in Miami Beach. From there, the vessel will be taken to another location to be closely examined.
So far, no charges or arrests have been made in this case.
The tragedy caught the attention of First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, who visited the family on Tuesday. Ella is the granddaughter of of U.S. Ambassador to Belgium, Michael Alder.
Following the confiscation of the vessel and the visit from the First Lady, Ella’s family released a statement expressing their gratitude for the hard work of law enforcement and saying:
We are honored that the First Lady paid a shiva call to our family during this time of immense pain. We are touched by their support and love and we are proud to call the President and First Lady our friends for over 40 years.
The Adler Family
On Wednesday, Ella’s school, Ransom Everglades posted a picture of classmates painting the cannon with her name, purple hearts, and ballerinas. In the caption, the school wrote “Friends and classmates of Ella Adler Class of 2027. Love her and miss her deeply.”
FWC investigators urge anyone with information or video footage related to the incident to contact the Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922) or Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS (8477).
