7-year-old girl dead following boating incident

[Sugar Cookie]

A seven-year old girl died in a boating incident at Waurika Lake Saturday evening.

Her family confirmed her name was Kyndi Harkins Sunday afternoon.

It happened at the Kiowa Two boat ramp just after five p.m.

According to the report filed by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, a boat was traveling southbound toward the ramp at idle speed.

For an unknown reason the child ended up in the water from the swim deck and was struck by the propeller.

She was pronounced dead at the scene.

The cause of the incident is still under investigation.

7-year-old girl dead following boating incident

For an unknown reason the child ended up in the water from the swim deck and was struck by the propeller

www.kswo.com

 

[Old Man Metal]

Damn that's shitty. Condolences to the family.

 

[Sugar Cookie]

The Daily Mail is reporting that the boat operator smelled of alcohol - but since I can not find another source I did not want to use their information.

 

[Sejanus]

Someone not keeping close enough tabs on the wee one.
Bummer.

 

[BuffettGirl]

You don't let the kiddos play on or near the boat/ramp when loading your boat in or out of the water... Or was it just my parents that made us line up on the dock?

 

[Alf]

"Swim deck" has me wondering if it was on land or attached to the boat. What I have seen is if there is a boat ramp then the swimming area is way over there, not next to the ramp.

--Al

 

[Old Man Metal]

I took "swim deck" to be the part of the boat on the back from whence one climbs down into the water to swim, hopefully while the prop is not spinning. I am not an expert, though.

 

[DaveL]

She looks so much like my 7 year-old.

 

[Siobhan]

I took "swim deck" to be the part of the boat on the back from whence one climbs down into the water to swim, hopefully while the prop is not spinning. I am not an expert, though.

It appears she was indeed on the "swim deck" of the boat, and fell overboard, landing right about where the prop would extend from the vessel (whether inboard or outboard motor is not mentioned, but the prop's are in very close proximity, regardless of what engine type, with the exception of jet propelled):

https://www.crimeonline.com/2020/06...-claim-boats-operator-reeked-of-alcohol-docs/

 

[Sugar Cookie]

This was probably a horrible accident - but she should have been supervised better.

 

[orange_julius]

I’m having trouble imagining how this happened. If the boat was moving forward, and she fell off the rear deck, wouldn’t she have cleared the propeller? How far does the propeller usually jut out from the back? I’ve never owned a boat so it’s probably just my lack of understanding.
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She looks so much like my 7 year-old.

I know. I have a 7 year old girl too, and when you read something like this, it’s too easy to imagine your baby in her place.

 

[Sugar Cookie]

Kyndi was going into the second grade at Comanche Elementary School and was looking forward to going back to school in the fall. She loved animals and wanted to be a veterinarian (or a professional singer because she also loved to sing). Fortnite was her favorite online game but she also played lots of games on her phone. She loved playing softball, singing and dancing, riding bicycles and in golf carts. She treasured the time spent helping her mom decorate cookies. She loved her brother, Kross, and following him around was also a favorite pastime.

Obituary for Kyndi Beth Harkins | Whitt Funeral Home

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www.whittfh.com