As per tragic reports, a 1-year-old girl has been identified as the youngest victim of the Surfside condo collapse.
Search crews found the little girl along with her parents, who were also killed in the disaster.
The death toll in the Surfside disaster from June 24 is now at 97, with 11 people still unaccounted.
On Tuesday, Miami-Dade police identified 1-year-old Aishani Gia Patel as the youngest victim of the condo collapse. She was found in the rubble along with her parents, Vishai and Bhana Patel, who were also killed in the collapse. Bhavna Patel was five months pregnant, according to relatives, as per NBC News.
Victim identification is growing more challenging
Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava has been leading the twice-daily briefings with other officials since the disaster took place. In the beginning of this week she said that victim identification is growing more challenging the deeper crews dig into the debris.
Police and the medical examiner are working “around the clock” to identify each victim, she said according to NBC News and continued:
“But recovery at this point is yielding human remains as opposed to bodies, making the process more difficult.”
A new database
According to Fox 13 Tampa Bay, officials have opened up a database for people to upload information about missing property, to help those grieving find the sentimental items of their loved ones.
The aunt of the two girls, 4 and 10 years old, who were pulled from the rubble of the collapsed building and then buried in the same coffin alongside their parents, is searching for a silver necklace with a pendant shaped like half a heart and the words “Big Sis” inscribed.
When the the 4-year-old was pulled out from the rubble she was wearing her “Little Sis” necklace. She was later buried with it. But her older sister was not wearing her necklace when she was found by the firefighters. Her aunt explained that she had temporarily stopped wearing it since she had developed an allergic reaction to it.
“We would like to get that necklace back. They loved those necklaces,” the aunt told the Associated Press.
Approved for sale
On Wednesday a judge approved the sale of the oceanfront property where the collapsed building once was, with proceeds intended to benefit victims of the disaster.
Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Michael Hanzman ordered, during a hearing, that the process begin to sell the site of Champlian Towers South, which could fetch $100 million to $110 million according to court records.
Attorney Michael Goldberg said the judge wants the sale to proceed as fast as possible.
“He wants us to start exploring a potential sale. He did say he wants the land to be sold and the proceeds to go directly to the victims as soon as possible.”
All of our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of the victims and those still missing after this terrible disaster.
Please, leave a comment of hope or send prayers to those who need them in the comment box on Facebook.
And please also share this article to show your support.
