6-year-old girl drowns after current pulls her into Great Peconic Bay

A 6-year-old Brooklyn girl drowned after a current pulled her from Sebonac Creek into Great Peconic Bay as her family spent the Fourth of July morning at a Southampton beach. Police identified the child as Kiara Paolasin and said the emergency call came at 8:09 a.m. Saturday at a beach at the end of Sebonac Inlet Road.

Investigators said Kiara entered the water to retrieve a drifting shoe or other piece of footwear when the current carried her away. A 16-year-old family member tried to rescue her but could not reach her because of the strength of the current, turning a small holiday moment at the shoreline into a fast-moving emergency.

Family members then alerted a nearby kayaker, who pulled Kiara from the water unresponsive before emergency responders arrived. She was taken to Southampton Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

The death puts a sharp focus on the hazards at inlets and creek mouths, where moving water can shift quickly and overwhelm even a short attempt to step into the water. The National Weather Service maintains surf-zone and rip-current safety guidance for coastal areas in the New York region, including the New York City forecast office, as part of its broader warnings about dangerous water conditions along the coast.

The details of the rescue also show how little time can separate a family beach outing from a recovery operation. At Sebonac Inlet Road, the current that pulled Kiara into Great Peconic Bay defeated a family member’s attempt to reach her, and the fastest help came from a passing kayaker rather than a formal rescue team already in the water.