Funeral set for Florida girl killed by leaping sturgeon

“This is a awful tragedy”.

A spokeswoman for the agency said many details are still under investigation, the Gainesville Sun reported Saturday.

Wildlife officials said the young girl, Jaylon Rippy, died after being struck Thursday night.

Also, officers confirmed that the girl’s mom Tanya Rippy suffered facial accidents and her 9-year-old brother Trevor Rippy suffered a damaged wrist.

The Fish and Wildlife Commission said this was the first recorded fatality from a sturgeon strike on the Suwannee River.

In May, a 15-year-old girl was knocked unconscious after being stuck by a sturgeon while boating with her family.

On Friday, Colleen and Charles Harvey were transported to Shands after they were hit by a sturgeon on the Sante Fe. Four people have been injured by jumping sturgeon this year, including two boaters who were taken to the hospital Friday.

“A six to eight foot long 200 pounds”. They were eastbound from the Suwanee headed toward Ellie Ray Campground when they were struck.

Sturgeon are native to the Gulf of Mexico, but every spring swim up stream – in a 40 mile area from Yellow Jacket boat ramp to the mouth of the Santa Fe River.

“With the low water levels in the river system, the sturgeon are jumping much more frequently than in recent years”, Krause said, according to WTSP. To help stay safe on the waters as giant sturgeon make their way through, FWC officials say boaters should go slow since that helps reduce the risk of impact while enabling boaters more reaction time if the fish are seen nearby. The fish jumps up and usually slaps these people right across their face and upper chest.

Family and friends of the Rippys set up a GoFundMe page and account at the Drummond Community Bank to raise money for funeral and medical costs as a result of the incident.