Sag Harbor Family Sues Over Rafting Death
Parents filed a complaint on November 2 alleging negligent supervision and failure to inspect hazardous river conditions.
By Matthew Collins ·
A fatal rafting accident on a school trip has moved into the legal phase. The parents of Cesar Albarracin Guncay filed a lawsuit on November 2 against the Sag Harbor Union Free School District and two companies involved in the May excursion.
The complaint was submitted to the Supreme Court of the State of New York in Suffolk County. Robinson Yablon Cooper & Bonfante, LLP, represents the estate of the 12-year-old. The defendants include the school district, Superintendent Jeff Nichols, Hampton Jitney, Inc., and Whitewater Rafting Adventures, LLC.
Cesar died on May 27 while the class rafted on the Lehigh River in Pennsylvania. According to the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, the group traveled in an inflatable raft with a guide. At approximately 5:30 p.m., the vessel capsized, ejecting all occupants into the water. Cesar did not immediately resurface. Search and rescue teams recovered the body later that day. The Carbon County Coroner's Office ruled the death an accidental drowning.
The suit contends the district maintained a teacher-to-student ratio of one to ten. It alleges guides traveled in separate kayaks rather than inside the rafts with the students. The plaintiffs claim staff failed to scout the course for a fallen tree that created dangerous currents. The complaint further states that two dam releases had recently increased water flow and difficulty, facts the district allegedly missed.
The legal filing describes Cesar becoming trapped under the tree's branches. The suit argues the current pulled him under, causing asphyxiation and drowning. It accuses Whitewater Rafting Adventures of using guides who were not professionally certified, despite assurances to parents that every boat would contain a certified guide. Hampton Jitney is named for hiring the rafting company without obtaining specific written consent from parents.
Superintendent Nichols stated in May that the loss of Cesar was a profound tragedy for the school community. Upon learning of the suit, he said the district does not comment on pending litigation. He added that Cesar was a valued member of the school family. Hampton Jitney and Whitewater Rafting Adventures did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
A GoFundMe page was established to support the family. Mourners gathered at the Most Holy Rosary Church in Bridgehampton in June for his funeral. The service included students and staff who described Cesar as a kind and athletic classmate. The community marked the occasion with blue attire and a blue coffin.
