Criminal probe into Long Beach drowning

Long Beach police are investigating the drowning death of Harlem schoolgirl Nicole Suriel, 12, during a class field trip last week, City Manager Charles Theofan said Saturday.

City police detectives are working with Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice's office, Theofan said. "The Long Beach police are in communication with the district attorney's office and have been gathering evidence," Theofan said. "I can't tell you what that means, or where it's going to lead."

Carole Trottere, a spokeswoman for the district attorney, said the office is discussing the matter with other law enfocement agencies. "The case is under review by the DA's office," she said.

On Tuesday's field trip, the children went into the water and onto a rock jetty. No lifeguards were on duty because it was still the offseason.

The investigation started shortly after Suriel died, and so far detectives have talked to 15 of about two dozen students who were on the field trip, Theofan said.

When the girl went missing in the water, dozens of police and lifeguards - on hand to set up for the start of weekday lifeguard staffing - joined the search. Her motionless body was pulled from the water more than 90 minutes after she went under, according to Long Beach and school officials.

Suriel was a sixth-grader at the Columbia Secondary School for Math, Science & Engineering in Morningside Heights, which sponsored the field trip.

The school, which caters to the academically gifted, referred questions to the New York City Education Department.

With Matthew Chayes