By Bill Oram

Update: Md. Mom, Girl Killed by Tree Limb Recalled for Friendliness

Swimming was pushed aside Saturday for the Chevy Chase Recreation Association Stringrays.

The team and community were dealt a blow Friday night when 7-year-old team member Sloane Murray and her mother Kelly were killed at approximately 7:20 p.m. after a large tree limb fell on their minivan at the intersection of Connecticut Avenue and East West Highway during a wind and rain storm.

CCRA canceled its Saturday meet with Eldwick. Coaches of the 185-member Stingrays declined comment, but the team released a statement that said, “Out of respect for the Murray family, the CCRA Stingrays swim team decided on Friday night to cancel its A meet scheduled for Saturday morning. All of us on the team mourn the loss of swimmer Sloane Murray and her mother Kelly. Our thoughts are with the Murray family at this sad time.”

The Murrays “were big in the community here,” said Mario D’Ambrosio, a neighbor and father of CCRA assistant coach Stefania D’Ambrosio. “A lot of people knew them.”

D’Ambrosio said Kelly and Sloane Murray were at the weekly Friday night practice and pasta team dinner that ended around 7 p.m.

Saturday afternoon D’Ambrosio said he was still trying to “piece it all together.”

The team dinner started around 6:30 but when winds began swirling around 7, families started packing up and heading home. D’Ambrosio was not there, but 17-year-old daughter Stefania was. He said she told him, “Some people stayed in cars, some people left,” when the storm began.

A prayer service is planned for Monday at 7 p.m. at Blessed Sacrament Church in Chevy Chase.

This entry was posted on Saturday, June 27th, 2009 at 9:31 pm and is filed under Summer League. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.