Baltimore Girl Pulled Into Bay By Strong Current, Died: Police

ANNAPOLIS, MD — Authorities say a 12-year-old Baltimore girl who died while swimming at Sandy Point State Park in Annapolis Tuesday had ventured into a restricted area marked as no-swimming, and was then pulled offshore by a strong current. The body of Kaniya Kenly was recovered at Sandy Point State Park in Annapolis. Anne Arundel County Fire officials say she was reported missing off the beach at 6:33 p.m. Tuesday.

On Wednesday morning, Maryland Natural Resources Police said Kaniya was one of 15 people at a group outing when she disappeared. Her body was recovered 40 yards from shore and taken to the medical examiner’s office for an autopsy to determine the cause of death.

Brian Rathgeb with Maryland Natural Resources Police said at a press conference that Kaniya and three other children were left alone at the beach and waded into the water in an area that is fenced off and marked “no swimming." The girl began to struggle against the force of the current, and was spotted by two fishermen who tried to throw her a life-ring buoy. Rathgeb said the anglers even went in the water in an attempt to rescue the girl, but the current was too strong, WTOP reports.

Ahead of the Labor Day weekend, Rathgeb urged swimmers to watch where they go. “This is not a pool,” he said. “You don’t know how deep the bottom is, you don’t know how strong the currents are.”

The girl was last seen about 6:30 p.m. wearing a black and pink bathing suit when she went under the water and did not resurface, according to the Coast Guard. Before 11:30 p.m., WJZ reported authorities had recovered the body of Kaniya, who had gone swimming amid choppy conditions at the park.

Divers, fire boats and side scan sonar were used in the effort to find the child.

Police officers and other first responders walked the shoreline and jetty at Sandy Point State Park looking for the child.

Officers with the Maryland Natural Resources Police, Anne Arundel County Fire Department, U.S. Coast Guard, Maryland State Police and the Annapolis Fire Department all took part in the search.

Anyone with information may contact Coast Guard Sector Maryland-National Capital Region command center on VHF-FM channel 16 or at 410-576-2693.

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Photo of Sandy Point State Park by Patch Editor Emily Leayman