PEORIA, Ariz. — A 6-year-old girl has died after they were hit by a boat at Lake Pleasant Friday morning, according to the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office.
Deputies responded to the lake at about 11 a.m. for reports of a boat accident. MCSO said preliminary information indicated a child was struck by a boat's propeller and was taken to the hospital. The girl has since passed away from her injuries, MCSO said.
Detectives are on the scene investigating the incident and inspecting the boat.
An MCSO spokesperson said the incident appears to be a "tragic accident" and impairment does not appear to be a relevant factor.
The girl was part of a group that included two families that had spent the morning boating at the lake. After conducting interviews, MCSO investigators believe this was a situation where the families lost track of who was on the boat and who was in the water.
The child was wearing a life vest at the time she was hit, MCSO said. A relative of the child was operating the boat at the time of the collision.
Sgt. Joaquin Enriquez said even with all the safety precautions in place, the water can be dangerous.
“Nobody comes out here and expects to have a tragedy," Enriquez said.
This is a developing story and more information will be published as it becomes available.
Up to Speed
What is the Valley?:
“The Valley” is what locals call the Phoenix Metropolitan Area. It is considered the largest metropolitan area in the Southwest.
The Valley is made up of various major cities other than Phoenix, including:
- Mesa
- Chandler
- Scottsdale
- Tempe
- Glendale
- Surprise
- Peoria
- Gilbert
- El Mirage
- Avondale
- Litchfield Park
- Goodyear
- Buckeye
Whether a city is in the “East Valley” or “West Valley” depends on where it is in relation to Phoenix.
The cities of the Valley have a combined population of 4,845,832 people, according to the 2020 United States Census. This makes it the 11th largest metropolitan area in the country right behind the Boston and Atlanta areas.
How big is Maricopa County?:
Maricopa County is the United States’ 4th largest county in terms of population with 4,485,414 people, according to the 2020 Census.
The county contains around 63% of Arizona’s population and is 9,224 square miles. That makes the county larger than seven U.S. states (Rhode Island, Delaware, Connecticut, Hawaii, New Jersey, Massachusetts and New Hampshire).
One of the largest park systems in the nation is also located in Maricopa County. The county has an estimated 120,000 acres of open space parks that includes hundreds of miles of trails, nature centers and campgrounds.
The county’s seat is located in Phoenix, which is also the state capital and the census-designated 5th most populous city in the United States.