Oregon woman dies in boat tubing incident after dangerous driving on water, family says
Kaileigh Seidel, a 24-year-old Oregon woman, died in a boating accident on June 22. She was reportedly on an inner tube when she was flung into the side of another boat.
The family of an Oregon woman who reportedly died in a boating incident while tubing with friends is blaming erratic driving for the 24-year-old's unexpected death over the weekend.
A GoFundMe for Kaileigh Seidel's funeral expenses states that she died in a hospital on June 22 after being "in tragic boating accident," the description on GoFundMe reads.
"Her amazing energy and beautiful smile always made this world a better place," the description says. "This tragedy has left so many of us heartbroken and confused as to why such a young, beautiful life can be cut so short. Kaileigh was a light for so many."
Seidel's family told FOX 12 Portland that the 24-year-old woman was riding on an inner tube attached to a boat on the Willamette River in Portland that Saturday.
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She reportedly begged the driver, who was allegedly zig-zagging across the river, to slow down.
"She was so innocent and taken so violently because of someone else’s decision to be reckless," Aliyah Seidel, Kaileigh's sister, told FOX 12. "We definitely feel her not being here. It’s a hole in all of our hearts, it’s so quiet."
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Aliyah described her sister as "spontaneous" and "fun."
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"She got invited out on a boat and she had no idea that that would be the last day of her life," Aliyah told the outlet.
Kaileigh's aunt, Rachelle Hunsperger, told FOX 12 that Kaileigh had no control when the boat driver allegedly took a turn too fast, and Kaileigh was flung into the side of another boat on the river.
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"That just seems so unlike her. She was always like, ‘Let’s go, let’s have fun.’ If she was telling somebody to slow down then she was probably scared," Rachelle said. "This was no simple accident. I feel that there is somebody definitely at fault and hopefully that comes out."
The Multnomah County Sheriff's Office told Fox News Digital that a 911 caller "reported that they had witnessed a woman getting struck by another boat" on June 22 around 8 p.m. "The woman was transported to a local hospital, but was pronounced dead after she arrived," the sheriff's office stated.
The Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office River Patrol unit is investigating Kaileigh's death but could not provide further information at the time of publication.
