Woman killed by lightning while picking her child up from school
Police report that a mother was hit and killed by lightning while picking her child from school in central Florida on Thursday.
The child, who was rushed to a hospital for treatment, was also hit by lightning.
The incident happened while students were leaving Keeth Elementary School in Winter Springs, about 15 miles north of Orlando.
In a statement, the Seminole County Public Schools said, “Shortly after the scheduled start of dismissal, a rapidly developing storm resulted in the immediate suspension of dismissal procedures.”
The district said that more counselors are available to assist students and employees on campus.
Authorities did not reveal the victims’ identities.
This month, a lightning strike across the street from the White House killed three individuals and wounded another.
According to the National Lightning Safety Council, the Florida woman was the fourteenth person struck by lightning in the United States this year.
The US has averaged 23 lightning-related deaths each year over the last decade, according to the council.