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Five-Year-Old Girl Killed By Leaping Sturgeon

Five-Year-Old Girl Killed By Leaping Sturgeon

A five-year-old girl has been killed by a sturgeon which leaped onto her boat in Florida.

Wildlife officials said Jayln Rippy died after she was struck by the fish during a family outing on the Suwanee River on Thursday.

Her mother Tanya and nine-year-old brother Trevor were also seriously injured and will need facial reconstructive surgery, say reports in the US.

A GoFundMe page has been set up for the family to cover funeral and medical costs.

"The Rippy family was involved in an accident on Thursday, July 2, 2015 where a sturgeon collided with their boat," it says.

"Their precious baby Jayln became an angel early July 3, 2015."

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, four people have been injured by leaping sturgeon on the river this year.

Sturgeon can grow up to up to 8ft long and weigh up to 200 pounds.

They are capable of leaping more than 7ft from the water.