17-year-old girl killed in Tallahassee tornado outbreak, marks storm’s 2nd known death

A 17-year-old girl lost her life in a severe storm system that generated tornadoes and triple-digit winds in North Florida last Friday, as confirmed by authorities on Thursday, marking the state’s second confirmed weather-related fatality.

The victim’s identity was not disclosed by officials from the State Medical Examiner’s Office, who confirmed her death in Leon County, home to the state capital, Tallahassee. Details surrounding the circumstances of her passing were not provided, as reported by The Tallahassee Democrat, a member of the USA TODAY Network.

Information regarding the incident was brought to light by a reader who informed The Democrat that the teen was critically injured after being struck by a tree in a wooded area, ultimately succumbing to her injuries.

Additionally, the death of another storm victim, 47-year-old Carolyn Benton, was reported by The Democrat earlier in the week. Benton tragically lost her life when a tree fell onto her mobile home within the same county.

Emergency responders from the Leon County Emergency Medical Services were dispatched to a residential area approximately 4 miles east of downtown Tallahassee on May 10 around 7:30 a.m., where they discovered a woman trapped under a fallen tree. She was promptly transported to a hospital for treatment.

Hospital officials revealed that they treated fewer than 10 patients for storm-related injuries and trauma caused by fallen trees and car accidents, as well as health complications arising from the adverse weather conditions.

In the aftermath of the storms, over 100,000 electric customers in Leon County were left without power.

These fatalities occurred ahead of severe storms that swept through Texas on Thursday night, claiming the lives of four individuals and causing widespread power outages affecting over a million customers. The region, already saturated by recent storms, experienced heavy rainfall.

As the storms progressed, a tornado watch shifted eastward from Texas to southern Louisiana, accompanied by intense rainfall, prompting flood warnings and watches in Mississippi, Alabama, and as far east as the Florida Panhandle. The National Weather Service issued a warning for a “high risk” of excessive rainfall at the Texas-Louisiana state line, extending through Friday morning.