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Young boy from Jacksonville dead after balcony fall in Panama City Beach

PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. — Panama City Beach police confirmed that a young boy from Jacksonville is dead after falling off a balcony during his family’s evacuation.

According to the Panama City Beach Police Department, officers responded at 1:19 p.m. Thursday with Panama City Fire Rescue personnel to a call about a fall at Sterling Reef. Upon arrival, they located a deceased 11-year-old boy, and officers confirmed that the child was there with his family, who evacuated Jacksonville for Hurricane Ian.

Detectives revealed that the boy fell from the 19th floor, but no foul play is suspected. However, the investigation is still ongoing, and the child’s body has been turned over to the Bay County Medical Examiner for the official cause of death.