KEY WEST, Fla. – Teen sentenced for Florida boating accident
A 13-year-old has been sentenced to juvenile detention in connection with a boating accident that killed a six-year-old boy who was snorkeling off the Florida Keys.
Christopher Ruiz was piloting an 18-foot boat that struck the boy and his father last Memorial Day.
Ruiz has pleaded no contest. He will stay at a center for high-risk juveniles for an indeterminate amount of time based on his behavior, level of achievement and cooperation.
If he is released before he is 21, he will be under close scrutiny by the state. Officials say it's unlikely he'll stay in the program until he's 21.
Ruiz told the judge that he was sorry for the accident.
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