Feds taking over case of boat that capsized in New York Harbor, killing mom and baby

Key Points:

• The NYPD announced that the case involving Manuel Hernandez, initially charged with multiple counts of reckless endangerment after a boat capsized in New York Harbor, killing a mother and her infant daughter, will be transferred to federal prosecutors.
• The U.S. Coast Guard is investigating whether Hernandez, the 46-year-old captain, was operating an illegal charter boat, though federal authorities have not yet specified any charges or confirmed an investigation into the boat’s legal status.
• The incident occurred near the Statue of Liberty around 10:30 p.m. on Saturday, resulting in the deaths of 5-month-old Antonella Garcia and her 27-year-old mother, Sara Sanchez, with 12 other passengers surviving in stable condition despite the boat being overcrowded.
• Rescue efforts involved multiple Coast Guard, FDNY, and NYPD boats, as well as an NYPD helicopter, responding to the capsized 22-foot bowrider which typically accommodates only nine to ten people but was carrying 14 at the time.
• A GoFundMe campaign was launched by friends and colleagues of Andres Garcia, the husband and father of the victims, to support the family with funeral costs, living expenses, and care for their surviving six-year-old son following the tragedy.