New York Woman Drowns In Water Sports Accident

By Andrew Gorosko

A New York woman’s death has been ruled an accidental drowning at Lake Lillinonah based on autopsy results, according to a spokeswoman for the chief state medical examiner’s office.

Nicholette R. Murray, 18, of Yonkers, N.Y., died as a result of a water sports accident that occurred at the lake about 5 pm on Saturday, July 30, according to the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP).

DEEP’s environmental conservation police are continuing to investigate the incident.

Ms Murray was engaged in a water sport — initially thought to be water skiing, but now likely to have been wake boarding — when her tow line became entangled in the propeller of the boat that had been towing her, according to DEEP spokesman Dennis Schain.

Ms Murray was transported by emergency personnel to Danbury Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 6:03 pm. Ms Murray was at the lake with family and friends at the time of the accident, Mr Schain said.

Newtown police, the Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps, a paramedic, Newtown Hook & Ladder volunteer firefighters, Sandy Hook volunteer firefighters, and Newtown Underwater Search And Rescue all were alerted of the boating accident at about 5:24 pm.

Emergency units responded to the town’s boat launch at 196 Hanover Road, where they awaited the boat that was transporting Ms Murray to shore from the accident scene. The accident occurred downriver of the boat launch on the lake, which is an impoundment on the Housatonic River.

Ray Corbo, the first assistant chief of Hook & Ladder, who served as incident commander, said emergency crews received a call reporting a possible drowning and instructing them to meet at the town boat launch.

Ms Murray was reportedly pulled underwater after the tow line to which she was connected had somehow become ensnarled in the tow boat’s propeller, Mr Corbo said.

The boat that was involved in the accident became mechanically disabled and the several people on that boat flagged down another boat to transport the injured Ms Murray to shore.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation reportedly was being performed on Ms Murray as she was transported to shore, Mr Corbo said.

Firefighters reached the boat launch about five minutes before the woman was brought to shore while unconscious, he said.

On her arrival, Ms Murray was quickly placed in the ambulance and transported to the hospital.

DEEP spokesman Dwayne Gardner said that the accident remains under investigation by DEEP’s boating accident reconstruction unit.

DEEP will disclose the results of the investigation when it is completed, he said in a statement.