Florida boy whose family fled Hurricane Ian dead after falling from 19th-floor resort balcony
Tragic death under investigation by Panama City Beach police
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A family fleeing Hurricane Ian in Florida suffered a terrible tragedy on Thursday after their child fell over a balcony to his death.
Authorities found the young child dead after they responded to an emergency at the Sterling Reef resort building, according to local outlet WJHG 7.
Police officers and Emergency Medical Service personnel in Panama City Beach were informed that the young boy, 11, had fallen from the 19th floor of the resort building on Front Beach Road.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"To protect the privacy of those involved, we’re unable to provide any information as this is an ongoing investigation," a spokesperson for the resort told Fox News Digital.
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The Sterling Reef resort in Panama City Beach, Florida, is seen in this undated Google Street View image. (Google Street View)
"Our deepest sympathies are with the family," they added.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}In an update with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday morning, Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie announced more fatalities during Hurricane Ian.
Guthrie told reporters that there was one confirmed death reported in Polk County. In the hard-hit Charlotte County, 12 reported fatalities were unconfirmed.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Displaced boats lie strewn along San Carlos Boulevard, one day after the passage of Hurricane Ian, in Fort Myers Beach, Florida, Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
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In Collier County, there have been eight unconfirmed deaths.
As rescuers continue to work, DeSantis said that emergency responders had reached more than 3,000 homes in the most impacted areas, with over 1,000 rescue personnel located up and down the coastline.