BONITA SPRINGS, Fla. — Lee County deputies say a woman and a five-year-old died when their car drove into a canal on McLaughlin Avenue In Bonita Springs Monday.
Matt Crislip lives nearby and saw divers attempt to rescue the woman and child.
“They took him out earlier. And I don’t think they got her out for a while,” he said.
He added divers told him the 41-year-old woman was floating inside the car without a seatbelt.
Nell Webb lives across the street from the accident and also witnessed the rescue attempt.
“I wanted to cry. I watched them pull the car out last night and load it up. And I thought, that is so awful!” she said.
“I just feel bad for whatever family is left.”
Investigators have not released how long the victims were underwater before the 4:00 call.
The embankment the car drove off of is at least 150 feet away from the roadway. So, Webb doesn’t believe the car accidentally got into that water.
“You’d have to turn to go in there. And then I’m thinking you’d have to hit it to make sure you made it,” she said.
And John Lounsberry who also lives nearby agrees.
“It’s just obvious. There is no road. There’s no driveway. There’s no house. That’s a bit bizarre,” he said.
The canal was roped off with LCSO tape most of Monday evening. And a sheriff’s helicopter circled around the canal earlier Tuesday afternoon, too.
LCSO said this is an open investigation. Investigators have not released the names of the woman and child.
