Father Of 3 Drowns While Rescuing Child On Long Island

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The Fourth of July ended tragically for a family on Long Island.

Police say a father drowned while trying to rescue a child from the Mattituck inlet.

CBS2's Jenna DeAngelis spoke with the victim's daughter, who was with him when he died.

Jessica Ortiz is holding onto memories of her father, 41-year-old Leonel Ortiz Lemus.

"He was a great guy," she said.

Sitting alongside her mother and other devastated family members in their Central Islip home, the 16-year-old flipped through pictures of her dad, a father of three.

"He liked to play soccer and he liked to play the guitar," said Jessica.

Her final memory was on Wednesday. The family went to the Mattituck inlet for the Fourth of July. A good place to go, they thought, because it wasn't busy.

"There was no lifeguards or something, but we saw people swimming," Jessica said. "My little cousin, he got in, and then when my dad saw that we couldn't see him, that he was drowning, my dad just ran in."

She said her father didn't know how to swim, but went in with jeans and flip flops on to try and save the child, who is now doing OK.

Jessica was in the water and tried to help her father, who was drowning.

"I grabbed his shirt," she said. "He was so worried, and I was under water and I couldn't breathe so I came out, and then I let go of his shirt so I could breathe, cause I couldn't breathe, and then I lost him."

Police were called to the scene with dive teams around 3 p.m. About an hour and a half later, they recovered his body.

Southold Police said the water is very deceiving, because it's a channel that's dredged and it drops off very quickly.

"Where we were there was no sign that there was no swimming," said Jessica.

But police said swimming is prohibited in the channel.

DeAngelis only noticed one sign across the inlet from where CBS2 was told they were swimming.

Police said it's state property, and the Department of Environmental Conservation said it is investigating the incident.

When asked how she wants her dad to be remembered, Jessica replied, "As a hero. He died being a hero."

Police say no matter where you go this summer, remember, safety first. Use flotation devices, know the depth of the water you're getting into, and swim near lifeguards.