Tragedy struck a Florida family as a 5-year-old was killed while riding in a boat after a sturgeon leaped from the Suwannee River and struck the girl.
Wildlife officials said, Jaylon Rippy died on the scene. Her mother and 9-year-old brother were also seriously injured and remain hospitalized in Gainesville.
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Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said this is the first fatality recorded from a sturgeon strike on the Suwannee. Four people have been injured by jumping sturgeon this year. h/t fox6now
Sturgeon are known for leaping more than 7 feet above the water. They can grow up to 8 feet long and weigh up to 200 pounds.