KEY BISCAYNE, FL – Authorities in South Florida are in pursuit of a boater who was involved in a fatal incident with a 15-year-old girl on Saturday. The teenager, Ella Riley Adler, was enjoying water skiing near Nixon Beach, Key Biscayne, when she was hit by a boat that quickly left the scene.
Adler, who was wearing a life vest and ski boards, was celebrating a friend’s birthday on a family boat when the accident occurred. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), the boat that struck Adler was a center console type with a light blue hull. The boat’s captain, who was heading westbound from Nixon Beach, remains at large.
The FWC described the boat as having multiple white outboard motors and possibly blue or dark blue bottom paint. A reward of up to $20,000 is being offered for any information leading to the identification of the vessel and the boater involved in the crash. This includes a $5,000 contribution from Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers. The FWC is urging witnesses to come forward with any information.
Adler, a freshman at Ransom Everglades School, was a member of the school’s dance team and had performed in over 100 shows with the Miami City Ballet at the Adrienne Arsht Center. According to her obituary, she was cast as a ballerina in “The Nutcracker” and was known for her love of dance, friends, and family. Adler was also proud of her Jewish heritage, being the great-granddaughter of Holocaust survivors.
Friends of Adler have left heartfelt tributes on her obituary page, expressing the impact she had on their lives. Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levina Cava extended her condolences to the Adler family, urging the public to practice better boat safety to avoid such tragedies in the future.