A 6-year-old girl died Saturday morning after being caught in a strong current at a beach in Southampton, on Long Island, New York. The girl had been visiting the beach with her family for the holiday weekend.
According to the Southampton Town Police Department, a 911 call was received at 8:09 a.m. reporting a drowning in Sebonac Creek. Responders were told that the child had been pulled by the creek's current into the Great Peconic Bay. Police stated that the girl entered the water to find her lost footwear, slipped, and was then swept away by the current.
A 16-year-old family member attempted to rescue the girl but was unable to pull her to shore. A kayaker ultimately retrieved the girl's unresponsive body from the water. She was transported to Southampton Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
The Suffolk County Medical Examiner’s Office and the Southampton Town Police Department Detective Division are investigating the incident.
Separately, during the same holiday weekend, over 200 people were rescued and two individuals died due to dangerous rip currents off Daytona Beach, Florida. A 17-year-old boy and a 60-year-old man were reported to have been killed by the currents on Friday night.