A 16-year-old girl has died after she was struck by lightning while hunting with her father in Florida, officials say.
Baylee Holbrook and her father had been hunting on Tuesday when lightning “struck a tree, hitting them,” the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office said.
Her father lost consciousness and when he awoke he found his daughter was not breathing.
He called 911 and began CPR, and the teen was transported to HCA Florida Putnam Hospital in Palatka, where she was stabilized enough to be taken to a trauma center. She had been listed in critical condition on Wednesday.
On Thursday, the sheriff’s office said it learned that Baylee had “peacefully passed away” that morning surrounded by her family.
They were calling for thunderstorms that day, (tuesday) but it really still comes down to bad luck/timing. https://www.timeanddate.com/weather/@4167482/historic
It looks like she hunts with a bow, which may have been a factor if it was conductive. There have been scattered storms in FL this week as well. Lightning can travel over a mile from where it’s storm is to where it touches down so even in clear skies it can strike you. Florida is also the lightning capital of america.
Metal does not attracts lighting. The danger is elevation. The bolt stroke a tree and she was likely shocked because the ground itself became conductive. In a thunderstorm don’t stand near trees, don’t lay down, you get the fuck out and find shelter or a non-elevated area away from trees and elevated structures.
They were probably in a tree stand. Fifteen foot metal ladder with a seat at the top. Basically a lightning rod.
Electricity takes the path of least resistance. Simple as that.