A 16-year-old girl has died after she was struck by lightning while hunting with her father in Florida, officials say.
Baylee Holbrook and her father had been hunting on Tuesday when lightning “struck a tree, hitting them,” the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office said.
Her father lost consciousness and when he awoke he found his daughter was not breathing.
He called 911 and began CPR, and the teen was transported to HCA Florida Putnam Hospital in Palatka, where she was stabilized enough to be taken to a trauma center. She had been listed in critical condition on Wednesday.
On Thursday, the sheriff’s office said it learned that Baylee had “peacefully passed away” that morning surrounded by her family.
I am sad for her death. What horrible way to die. As a father of a 16 year old I hope this doesn’t happen to my kid.
No parent should have to suffer the loss of their own child, it takes a piece of your heart with them.
My dad died when I was 16 and that’s not great either.
But looking at that smile reminds me of my 1 year old daughter’s smile. I live to make her smile. I can’t imagine looking at that smile every day for 16 years and then one day I can’t.
No information in the article about weather conditions. I was curious if this tragedy could have been prevented.
They were calling for thunderstorms that day, (tuesday) but it really still comes down to bad luck/timing. https://www.timeanddate.com/weather/@4167482/historic
It looks like she hunts with a bow, which may have been a factor if it was conductive. There have been scattered storms in FL this week as well. Lightning can travel over a mile from where it’s storm is to where it touches down so even in clear skies it can strike you. Florida is also the lightning capital of america.
Metal does not attracts lighting. The danger is elevation. The bolt stroke a tree and she was likely shocked because the ground itself became conductive. In a thunderstorm don’t stand near trees, don’t lay down, you get the fuck out and find shelter or a non-elevated area away from trees and elevated structures.
They were probably in a tree stand. Fifteen foot metal ladder with a seat at the top. Basically a lightning rod.
Electricity takes the path of least resistance. Simple as that.
My daughter asked me what my biggest fear was the other day. I said, “being alive after you die.”
I mean all things considered it was either painless or painful for a few moments at most.
Not the worst way to go.
Did you read the article? She died two days after the lightning strike.
No way for us to know, but it’s likely she was unconscious/braindead for those two days.
That was my assumption. Not breathing for an unknown amount of time following a lightning strike. I imagine it would be noteworthy for the article if she regained consciousness and later died.
Maybe if she was 80, but at 16 she lost out on most of her expected life.
‘Horrible way to die’ refers to method of death. It has nothing to do with age.