CORAL GABLES, FLA. (WSVN) - The attorney for Carlos Alonso, the elderly man who is linked to a boating accident that resulted in the death of 15-year-old Ella Adler, has publicly expressed her client’s deep sorrow over the incident.
The accident occurred over the weekend during what was meant to be a birthday celebration on the water.
Shortly after Alonso arrived home with his legal representation, his attorney, Lauren Field Krasnoff, said her client, also known as Bill, will not make a statement but is “absolutely devastated by the tragedy.”
“This is the worst kind of tragedy. Before I say anything else, we want to express our deepest sympathies to Ella Adler’s family and friends,” she said. “Bill is an experienced boater. He was out on the water alone that day. He had no idea that an accident had occurred, much less that he might have been involved. If Bill hit anything, let alone a person, he absolutely would have stopped, but he had no knowledge of the accident until law enforcement came knocking at his door.”
The attorney made clear that alcohol was not involved in this incident.
“He does not drink, and he was not drinking on that Saturday,” said Field Krasnoff. “He’s a good man, and he was absolutely devastated to learn that he may have been involved in this absolute tragedy.”
The boat involved in the incident was removed from behind Alonso’s Coral Gables home on Tuesday, with Alonso identified as the owner and operator of the vessel. No charges have been filed against him as of Thursday evening.
Adler was wakeboarding in Biscayne Bay when the accident happened. Investigators reported that after Adler and another girl fell into the water, the boat towing them turned around to retrieve them. During this time, it is alleged that Alonso’s boat struck Adler and then left the scene.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission has noted that Alonso is cooperating with their investigation.
Melissa White, the mother of one of the teens who witnessed what happened, appeared at the Key Biscayne Council Meeting on Tuesday to thank members of the community for their support.
“My daughter, Caitlyn, was on the boat. I’m here to say thank you,” said White. “The Adler family, their lives are forever changed. But those girls that had to witness it, my hope is that they go forward and they continue to make Ella’s memory a blessing.”
The local community, including students from Ransom Everglades School, has shown support, memorializing Adler with painted ballerinas, purple hearts and heartfelt messages on a campus cannon, all dedicated to the young life cut short.
The investigation into the incident continues, with authorities still determining the full circumstances behind the accident.
FWC investigators urge anyone with information or video footage related to the incident to contact the Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922) or Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS (8477).
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.