MARISSA LEIGH ANN DANIELS - 2 yo (2/14) - Fruitland Park, FL

Toddler found dead after falling into open septic tank in Fruitland Park    



By Jerry Fallstrom, Orlando Sentinel
6:00 p.m. EST, February 5, 2014

A toddler died today after falling into an open septic tank behind a home in Fruitland Park as friends and relatives helped the residents, who were moving out, police said.

"It appears to be a very, very tragic accident," said Fruitland Park police Chief Terry Isaacs, who didn't immediately release the name or age of the little girl because an investigation is ongoing.

Isaacs said the opening for the septic tank behind the home at 704 Jewell St. was about 1 foot wide by 2 feet long. He said he didn't know the cause of death.

The group at the house included two toddlers and a baby, who were put in the fenced back yard while the adults moved belongings, Isaacs said. Police were called that a child was missing about 11:30 a.m. A department K9 dog, Bella, who specializes in search and rescue, "tracked straight to the back yard" and to the open septic tank, he said.

Neighbor Mark Whales, 28, said a resident of the home damaged the septic tank by driving over it in a truck last summer. He said he's been bothered by odors coming from the septic tank for months and finally got so fed up he made a code-enforcement complaint anonymously on Monday.


"They could have put a piece of wood over it — they could have put something over it,'' Whales said. "It really irritates me because that could have been my daughter, it could have been my niece, it could have been one of my nephews."


http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/os-florida-child-dead-septic-hole-20140205,0,3884790.story

Funeral services Monday for little girl who fell into septic tank

February 7, 2014 By Meta Minton

Marissa Leigh Ann Daniels

Funeral services have been scheduled for Monday for the little girl who fell into an uncovered septic tank on Wednesday in Fruitland Park.

Two-year-old  Marissa Leigh Ann Daniels was reportedly playing near a septic tank  and was found inside the structure. The accident took place in the 700 block of Jewell Street near the intersection of U.S. Hwy 27/441 and County Road 466A. She was the daughter of Lee and Jennifer Daniels of Lady Lake.

Funeral services will be Monday at Beyers Funeral Home in Lady Lake.

To read her complete obituary, follow the link below:
http://www.villages-news.com/marissa-leigh-ann-daniels/

Fruitland Park Police Department and Lake County Sheriff’s Office reported that while the family at the address helping to load a U-Haul truck to move, the child went missing. Once family members noticed the missing child, they contacted authorities.

Police Chief Terry Issacs of Fruitland Park Police indicated that water near the septic tank led officers to contact additional authorities in order to examine the septic tank and area surrounding. The child was discovered shortly thereafter.


http://www.villages-news.com/funeral-services-monday-little-girl-fell-septic-tank/