LAKE CITY, Fla. — A 5-year-old Florida girl riding in a boat has died after a sturgeon leaped from the Suwannee River and struck her Thursday night.

Wildlife officials said Jaylon Rippy’s mother and 9-year-old brother were also injured and taken to a Gainesville hospital. Their condition was not known.

The fish are known for leaping more than 7 feet above the water. They can grow up to 8 feet long and weigh up to 200 pounds.


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