Yesterday, at approximately 5:40 p.m., Suffolk County Deputy Sheriffs assigned to the Sheriff’s Office Marine Bureau received a radio call from the US Coast Guard of two small children adrift on a raft, west of the Shinnecock Canal in Peconic Bay in Hampton Bays.
Deputy Sheriff Thomas Lyons and Deputy Sheriff Joseph Gallo, who were on patrol on Marine 1 in Peconic Bay, responded and arrived on scene 5:45 p.m. They met up with a Southampton Town Bay Constable Chris Fraser who was with the children’s grandmother, Claudia Meza of Hampton Bays. Ms. Meza had attempted to swim after the children, ages 2 and 3, but was unable to get to them as they drifted away from the shore.
Marine 1 responded and located the children about a 1/4 mile offshore on a small pool raft with a good Samaritan, Tony Lemos of Freeport, NY, who had gotten on a paddle board and was able to hold onto the children’s raft but was unable to get back to shore due to the currant and wind. All three were drifting further offshore. Marine 1 was able to get all three subjects onboard and responded back to Shinnecock marina to transfer the children back to their grandparents. The children were wearing life vests and were unharmed. Deputies returned custody of the children to their grandparents.
Suffolk County Sheriff Errol D. Toulon, Jr. thanked the deputies and the good Samaritan for their quick response, “These little children will remember this day for the rest of their lives, and it’s one of those stories that will be retold for generations. I’m glad that Suffolk County Deputy Sheriffs were on the scene, and between their efforts, the Bay Constable, and the good Samaritan, this whole incident will be fondly remembered.”
