PUTNAM COUNTY, Fla. — A 16-year-old girl from Palatka is in critical condition after her and her father were struck by lighting while hunting, according to the Putnam County Sheriff's Office.
The teen, Baylee Holbrook, was with her father, Matthew Holbrook, hunting when a bolt of lightning struck a nearby tree, before redirecting and hitting the pair, according to the PCSO.
Matthew Holbrook lost consciousness after the strike and when he woke up, he found his daughter not breathing. He called 911 and began CPR while first responders were on the way to the scene. The incident report says Holbrook then put his daughter in his truck and drove to the main road to wait for emergency personnel to arrive.
Putnam County Fire Rescue arrived and took the teen to HCA Putnam Medical Center where she was stabilized. She was then transferred to UF Shands in Gainesville where she is currently listed in critical condition, the PCSO said.
Baylee Holbrook is a student at Palatka Junior-Senior High School. Wednesday morning, the school held a prayer service in her honor around the flag pole at the school.
"Today members of our agency joined students, faculty, and community members at the Palatka Junior-Senior High School flag pole to pray," the sheriff's office said on Facebook.
"Baylee Holbrook is so very loved and a huge piece of our Panther hearyt!" wrote Jennifer DeLoach on Facebook.
Deputies say there has been an increased amount of lightning strikes in the area over the past couple days.
"We want to remind the community that the forecast us predicted several more days of increased rain, thunder, and lightning."
