Florida Mother And 2-Year-Old Daughter Killed By Lightning Strike, Police Say
- A Florida mother and her 2-year-old daughter tragically died after being struck by lightning on a sidewalk during a storm in Margate.
A Florida mother and her 2-year-old daughter died Sunday after they were reportedly struck by lightning on a sidewalk during a storm, police said.
Kenya Glasgow, 31, and her daughter were found in the area of Northwest 1st Street in Margate after someone called 911 at about 2:30 p.m. on August 23, according to CBS News Miami .
Margate Police officers and Margate Fire Rescue personnel responded and immediately began treating the mother and child, including performing CPR.
Both were rushed to separate hospitals. Despite the efforts of first responders and hospital personnel, police said Glasgow and her daughter died shortly after arriving.
A Sudden Strike
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Glasgow and her daughter had been found lying on a sidewalk in the area of 7941 Northwest 1st Street, according to police.
Glasgow was transported by Margate Fire Rescue to North Broward Medical Center in Deerfield Beach.
Her 2-year-old daughter was taken to Broward Health Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale. A police escort accompanied the ambulance carrying the child.
A neighbor across the street described the moment the storm suddenly became much more serious.
Prince Moody told Local 10 that he had just returned from getting groceries when he heard the strike.
"I heard the loudest lightning strike I could hear, thunder, and an orange glow went through my window," Moody said.
He remained at the scene afterward and told the station his thoughts were with the victims' family.
A Florida Risk
Lightning deaths are uncommon in the United States, but Florida has long been particularly vulnerable to lightning.
The National Weather Service says lightning strikes the United States roughly 25 million times per year and kills about 20 people annually, while hundreds more are severely injured.
Florida's exposure is considerably higher than most of the country. In a 2026 lightning-safety report, the National Weather Service in Miami said Florida averaged 305 lightning events per square mile in 2025.
The report said South Florida faces a year-round lightning threat, with the danger particularly pronounced during summer afternoon thunderstorms.
Twenty people died from lightning strikes nationwide in 2025, including three people in Florida, according to the report.
Margate Police said the deaths remain under investigation.
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