Water Search Ends, 12-Year-Old Girl Drowns At Sandy Point State Park
ANNAPOLIS (WJZ) — The search for a 12-year-old girl who went missing off the beach in Sandy Point Park Tuesday ended with her body recovered Tuesday night after 11 p.m.
Maryland Natural Resources Police identify her as Kaniya Kenly, of Baltimore. She was one of 15 people at a group outing.
12-Year-Old Drowning Victim Identified
The Coast Guard and partner agencies searched for the girl reported missing while she was swimming at Sandy Point State Park on Tuesday.
The child was last seen wearing a black and pink bathing suit, she reportedly went under the water and did not resurface, according to the Coast Guard.
Her body was recovered shortly before 11:30 p.m. Tuesday night, about 40 yards from the shore. Officials say it was taken to the medical examiner's office.
Coast Guard Sector Maryland-National Capital Region command center launched a 29-foot Response Boat-Small crew from Station Annapolis. Searchers employed side-scan sonar in operation to find the girl, according to Maryland Natural Resources Police and first responders also looked along the shoreline.
The call came out at 6:33 p.m.
Osmon E is the 12-year-old girl's neighbor.
12-Year-Old Missing Girl's Body Recovered From Sandy Point State Park
He said his family and her family came to Sandy Point for a day of fun.
"The kids went out into the water. They were playing in the water, and one of the kids come running back saying that one of the other kids, the 12-year-old got taken out by the current," Osmon said.
He said he was working the grill, but said rescue efforts were immediate.
"There was a couple people down there fishing and they tried to jump in, two guys tried to jump in and they couldn't find her," Osmon said.
Natural Resources police officials said conditions in the water at the time the 12-year-old went missing were rough.
"It was a 2-3 foot bay chop. The kids went a little further than had so it was over their heads and that's when the difficulty began," said Melissa Scarborough with Maryland DNR.
This story is developing.
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