Teen and toddler killed by lightning in West Hall

GAINESVILLE - Two children died Thursday after being struck by lightning at Old Federal Park in West Hall County. The two are identified as 14-year-old Judy Zuniga and her 17-month-old cousin Isaak Ayala, both from Gainesville.

Fire Marshall Scott Cagle said they were part of a family outing at the park when storms blew in about 5:00 p.m.

"They were coming back from the shores of the lake and were walking under some trees when the apparent lightning strike happened." Cagle said. "The speculation now is that lightning hit a tree and traveled through the root system, striking the children."

Cagle said parents tried to take the children to the hospital themselves and pulled over at West Hall High School.

Gordon Higgins, a spokesman for Hall County schools said an ambulance met the victims at the school and took them to Northeast Georgia Medical Center, where they were later pronounced dead.

Nursing supervisor Shannon Garner said efforts to revive the children, both by emergency personnel and at the hospital, were unsuccessful.