Tragic update on 5-year-old girl sucked into storm drain

Tragic Accident Claims Life of 5-Year-Old Zaria Miller

On Sunday evening, 5-year-old Zaria Miller was playing with her brothers near a culvert on Bahia Vista Street in Sarasota when she was swept into a storm drain by fast-moving water.

Carried nearly 100 yards through the drainage system, she was rescued by firefighters and taken to Sarasota Memorial Hospital in critical condition.

Assistant Fire Chief Tim Dorsey called the rescue “high-risk,” and the case remains under investigation by the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office.

A neighbor recalled the chaos: “All of a sudden, I heard shouting — one of the girls had been swept away.”

The community rallied around Zaria’s family, and a GoFundMe was launched to support them.

Sadly, on Thursday, her family shared that Zaria had passed away, writing: “She has received the ultimate healing and is in the arms of Jesus.”

They thanked everyone for the outpouring of love and support during this heartbreaking time.