A young girl has been killed and her cousin gravely injured in a horrifying tubing accident.
Jordan Roe, 11, had gone tubing with her two cousins Laila, 8, and Brylee, 9, in Lynn Haven, Florida, when the three crashed last Friday night.
The girls were being pulled along the Beatty Bayou river by an adult male, aged 19, on a jet ski when witnesses said the watercraft came back to the dock too quickly.
Locals told News13 that the tube carrying the three youngsters careered into the dock.
In a police report, officers said they arrived on the scene to find Jordan and Laila laying on neighboring docks.
The three girls were rushed to the hospital where Jordan died from her injuries.
Laila suffered severe injuries and has undergone surgery, but remains in a grave condition.
Brylee, the third girl, escaped with minor injuries. The driver of the jet ski, a family friend, is said to have suffered minor injuries.
The mother of Laila and Brylee Kristine Robinson told WJHG that the three girls were at a barbecue and celebrating the end of school for the summer.
She said: ‘My girls were up here having some fun, school just got out. They were out of barbecue with my sister and their cousins. They were on the tube, having a great time.’
Jordan Roe, 11, (back, center) had gone tubing with her two cousins Laila, 8, (left) and Brylee, 9, (right) in Lynn Haven, Florida , when the three crashed last Friday night
Jordan, seen here, was pronounced dead at the scene following the horrific incident last Friday
Laila, seen here right, suffered severe injuries in the crash and has undergone surgery. Brylee, left, survived with minor injuries
According to Robinson, her niece Jordan sacrificed her life for her cousin’s, describing the youth as a ‘protector’ of her family.
She added: ‘Jordan has always been the protector of all the kids, like you can’t tell her no different.
‘Jordan sacrificed her life, and she saved her cousin’s life with her life. And that’s all she knew what to do.
‘She’s always been the protector of her family of all the kids, and I truly believe she saved her cousin’s life.’
Robinson said her daughter Laila has a long recovery ahead of her, having already undergone one surgery and is facing several more.
‘I just ask everyone, hold your babies tight. Give them a hug because some of us can’t. It is summer. We all want to have fun with our kids. Please be careful’, she added.
The family have since set up two GoFundMe pages, one to help cover the medical expenses for Laila and another for Jordan’s funeral expenses.
A post to Jordan’s fundraiser said she dreamt of becoming a surgeon or veterinarian and described her as being a ‘free spirit’.
According to Robinson her niece Jordan sacrificed her life for her cousin’s, describing the youth as a protector of her family
The girls were being pulled along the Beatty Bayou, seen here, by an adult male on a jet ski when witnesses said the watercraft came in too quickly
It said: ‘Jordan was the light of our family—always the first to care for her siblings and cousins, and a loving friend to everyone she met.
‘Jordan died as she lived—protecting her family. Even in her passing, she gave the gift of life to others through organ donation, fulfilling her wish to bring hope and smiles to those in need.
‘Jordan’s memory will live on in the lives she touched, both in our family and beyond. She was a free spirit, wise beyond her years, and always made sure everyone around her felt safe and loved.
‘Our only comfort is knowing she is safe with God and Jesus, as her faith was an important part of her life.’
The two fundraisers have raised over $2,000 as of Thursday morning, with both having target goals set at $50,000.
The Florida Wildlife Commission (FWC) and the Lynn Haven Police Department both responded to the scene last week.
The police department told the Daily Mail on Thursday morning that they assisted at the scene before turning the investigation over the FWC.
In a statement, the FWC said: ‘On Friday, June 20, officers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the Lynn Haven Police Department responded to a tubing incident involving a personal watercraft on Beatty Bayou.
‘Three juveniles were transported to a local hospital, where, tragically, one later succumbed to their injuries.
‘This incident remains under active investigation. Additional information will be provided as it becomes available.
‘The FWC extends its heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the victim during this difficult time.’
