10-Year-Old Girl Killed, Woman Injured in Harris Lake Boat Accident — Boater Charged

10-Year-Old Girl Killed, Woman Injured in Harris Lake Boat Accident — Boater Charged

A boating tragedy at Harris Lake in North Carolina has left a 10-year-old girl dead and a beloved school social worker fighting for her life. Now, the man behind the wheel is facing felony charges as the Harris Lake boat accident sends shockwaves across the community.

What Happened at Harris Lake?

Just before 4:35 p.m. on Saturday, August 2, Quinten Kight was operating his girlfriend’s Tiger wakeboat at Harris Lake, towing a tube behind while circling near a designated swim area close to Cross Point Access.

That’s when disaster struck.

According to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, Kight’s boat collided with a separate group of swimmers who were not part of his boating party.

Victims in the Harris Lake Boat Accident

Brooklyn Mae Carroll, a 10-year-old fifth-grader at West Lake Elementary School in Cary, was tragically killed in the Harris Lake boat accident. Authorities say she died from injuries sustained when the boat struck her.

Tragedy Hits WSSU: Three Class of 2026 Students Pass Away

Also seriously injured was Jennifer Stehle, a school social worker, who suffered catastrophic leg injuries. She was airlifted to the hospital, where doctors were forced to amputate her right leg above the knee and are still trying to save her left leg.

Charges Against Quinten Kight

Quinten Kight was arrested at the scene by NC Wildlife officers. He now faces the following charges: Felony Death by Impaired Boating and Misdemeanor Boating While Impaired (BWI).

“This was a heartbreaking accident, but one that was preventable,” Chatham County Sheriff Mike Roberson said.

“Alcohol was a factor, and the decision to operate a boat while impaired had devastating consequences. We urge everyone to think twice before mixing alcohol with watercraft operation. It only takes a moment for lives to be changed forever.”

Kight is currently being held in the Chatham County Jail with a court date scheduled for September 22, 2025. Officials say toxicology results are pending, but Kight is no stranger to the justice system—he reportedly has a pending hit-and-run case from 2023.