Teens arrested in connection with Juno boating accident in which girl's leg got caught in propeller

PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. - Two 16-year-olds have been charged in a boating accident that caused a teenage girl to lose part of her leg in February, the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office said.

The boys, whose names have not been released, were both charged with leaving the scene of an accident with injury, reckless operation of a vessel and culpable negligence in the Feb. 5 crash that injured 15-year-old Gabby DeSouza.

DeSouza and friends were in the water south of the Juno Pier when a boat approached carrying other friends. As she was trying to climb on board, the driver revved the engine, in an apparent attempt to keep the boat from getting beached, an eyewitness said at the time.

The boat hit three girls, knocking them down, and the propeller struck DeSouza's leg. Doctors were later forced to amputate part of DeSouza's right leg.

Tuesday night, authorities booked the teens into the juvenile assessment center.

According to the sheriff's report, the boat travelled into a restricted area, within 500 feet of the Juno Beach fishing pier.

They continued into a designated swimming only area. They ignored horns and signals from Palm Beach County Ocean Rescue lifeguards, the report stated. After the injury to DeSouza, neither remained at the scene to help her, and they made no attempt to notify any law enforcement agency, the report stated.