Girl, 9, out of surgery after Boca Grande shark bite; family says hand saved

UPDATE Thursday, June 12:

FOX 4 has received the following statement from Leah's family:

“She’s out of surgery they were able to miraculously put her hand together and get blood flowing back into it, she will be in the hospital for a while and then a lot of physical therapy.”

UPDATE 5:49 p.m.:

Family has identified the little girl hurt in the shark attack as 9-year-old Leah.

Her family provided this statement to Fox 4:

Leah (9 years old ) was bit by a shark while swimming at Boca Grande near the shore today.

Nadia, her mother was about 4 feet from her holding the two younger siblings who are toddlers by the floaties they were in the floaties.

Leah had went underwater to snorkel and as she came up she screamed. Nadia looked over and saw her right hand up to the wrist all in blood and torn mostly off. As Nadia screamed for help and since she could not let go of the two toddlers in the water grabbed them and tried to get them to shore so she can help Leah. Thankfully her husband who was snorkeling some distance away with the other 2 siblings swam as fast as possible to shore . Leah (most likely in a state of shock ) walked out of the water to the shore by herself. With the help of nearby construction workers who were on lunch break at that time the parents and workers managed to put a towel on to make a tourniquet and stop the blood loss. One of gentlemen also dialed 911.

After the EMS came the decision was made to airlift Leah to the hospital. Her father accompanied her on that flight and Leah is now undergoing a long surgery.

We ask for mostly prayers and privacy at this time so we can process this situation. If it is on your heart to help financially we setup a GoFundMe and would greatly appreciate it since the medical bills will be costly.

Blessings and may Jesus protect you & your families.

A link to a GoFundMe set up by a family friend is here.

UPDATE 5:12 p.m.:

During lunch, Raynel Lugo says he was on the beach on Boca Grande when he said he heard people screaming for help.

Lugo says he ran over and saw a family with five kids. He thought someone was drowning, so he jumped in the water to help.

"When I was pulling her out of the water, the shark came right up to us, too," Lugo said. "So it was like, hurry up. Like, pretty shallow water — less than three feet."

Lugo called 911 and EMS rushed to the scene. He says the shark bit her on the hand, which he wrapped in a towel.

"She was in shock. She didn't cry, no pain," Lugo described when he helped the little girl.

The girl was airlifted to the hospital and the Boca Grande Fire Chief says she's expected to recover.

"I told them if you have a chance to speak with the family, please — I hope she's well, I hope she gets well soon," Lugo said to a deputy at the scene.

ORIGINAL STORY:

A person was injured and airlifted from Boca Grande on Wednesday afternoon, in what officials call a likely shark attack.

It happened in 2200 block of Shore Lane.

The Boca Grande Fire Chief tells Fox 4, the person who was injured was swimming in the Gulf. Officially, it's being called "an animal bite" right now, because no one saw a shark.

But the chief says based on the person's injuries, they assume it was a shark attack.

The beach is off a private road.

At this point, no information has been released about the person who was injured.

This is a breaking news story. Fox 4 has a crew on Boca Grande and we will update this story as soon as we get new information.