MIAMI (NewsNation) — A $20,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to an arrest of the suspect involved in a hit-and-run boat crash that killed a 15-year-old in the Miami area over the weekend.
A vessel of interest has been identified and taken into custody by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the agency announced Tuesday. The owner of that vessel is cooperating, authorities said.
Ella Adler, the granddaughter of the U.S. Ambassador to Belgium Michael Adler, was wakeboarding near Nixon Beach in Key Biscayne on Saturday when the incident occurred, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, which is leading the investigation.
Adler was water skiing with friends when she fell in the water while being towed and was struck by another boat, the FWCC said. She died from her injuries.
“As a father and grandfather, my heart is broken for the Adler family. Ella’s death is devastating for her family, friends, and the community at large,” FWCC Officer George Raynaud said. “The FWCC and our partners… will not stop until we have all the answers and the case is solved.”
Ella Adler was ‘a magnificent dancer’
Adler was extremely involved with her community, and those who knew the teen said she was a loving person and had a bright future.
She attended Ransom Everglades School where she was “an outstanding student” and a member of the school’s dance team, the Jewish Student Association, and the speech and debate team, Ransom Everglades Head of School Rachel Rodriguez said in a statement to NewsNation.
“Ella shined in our classrooms and on our stages, and she embodied the mission of Ransom Everglades School,” Rodriguez said. “We extend our deepest sympathy to her family and our prayers are with all who are mourning her loss.”
Adler was also a talented ballerina who performed with the Miami City Ballet. Members said they “are utterly devastated” by Adler’s death.
“Ella Adler was not just a beloved student and a magnificent dancer she was an integral part of our family, radiating potential and promise whose kindness, warmth, and infectious joy were known to all,” the Miami City Ballet said in a statement.
Authorities urge witnesses to come forward
The FWCC said it is making significant progress in this investigation but needs the public’s assistance. The agency urges witnesses or anyone with information, photos or video footage in the area to come forward.
Anyone with information is urged to call the Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-3922 or Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS (8477).