16-year-old dies in apparent lightning strike in Pembroke Pines

By Brandon Beyer, Michael Hudak, Kevin Boulandier

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    PEMBROKE PINES, Florida (WSVN) — Loved ones have been left devastated after a 16-year-old boy died in an apparent lightning strike.

Pembroke Pines Police and Fire Rescue units responded to the grassy area along the 600 block of Southwest 67th Avenue in Pembroke Pines, Wednesday evening.

According to police, the teen was lying on the grassy swale when they arrived.

“Subject laying on the grass not moving. Laying in the rain on a bicycle,” said a 911 dispatcher.

Paramedics rushed the teen to Memorial Hospital Regional. Officials said he suffered burn wounds to his chest and inner thighs.

School friends of the victim identified him as Cameron Day, a junior at McArthur High School in Hollywood.

Area resident Zandra Laguna said she saw the teen seconds before the lightning struck him.

“I was wondering if he was OK, because he was just like looking for someone. I just glanced at him and, as soon as I stopped glancing at him, I go over here to fix something in the corner, and there was the biggest lightning I’ve ever heard in my life happen,” she said.

Laguna’s Ring camera caught the nasty weather in the area on Wednesday. It was tragedy in an instant.

“One second you’re fine, seeing someone ride a bike in front of you, and next they get hit by lightning and you don’t think that happens, but it does happen,” said Laguna.

Day’s school friends said he was in the school band.

“I heard that he got struck by lightning. He was a band kid. He was a great person. He was energetic and everything,” said Micah Bostic, a student.

Another student said he was walking with Day down the same street on the day before.

“I feel sick about it. It’s crazy how you can be with somebody, and then the next day, they’re just not there, you know? It’s really sad,” said student Jordan Tavares.

Students said the school made counselors available for grieving students.

Day’s family, while too emotional to speak to 7News, advised others to take extra precaution if they need to travel in bad weather.

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