Queens boy drowns at Far Rockaway beach
A 14-year-old Queens boy who just completed his freshman year at August Martin High School drowned in the surf off of Far Rockaway on June 12 after efforts to revive him failed.
Akeem Craig and a friend, Akeem Morris, also 14, went swimming in the ocean near Beach 19th Street despite a posted no-swimming warning. Craig, who couldn’t swim, fell at a dropoff and went under. There were no lifeguards on duty at the time.
Morris, who also can’t swim, attempted to pull Craig out, but couldn’t, according to his mother, Desrene Stephens. Morris called 911 when he got ashore at 12:35 p.m. Rescue divers looked for Craig for 40 minutes due to the large area they searched.
The unconscious boy was pulled out of the water by firefighters more than a half hour later. He was taken to St. John’s Episcopal Hospital, but couldn’t be revived.
