Teen Girl Fatally Struck by LIRR Train on Babylon Branch in Massapequa

Massapequa station, LIRR Babylon Branch, Nassau County

Developing story — Long Island Traffic coverage of the June 8 Massapequa LIRR fatality:

• LIRR Babylon Branch train strikes person on tracks in Massapequa — the first service alert, before the death was confirmed
• 17-Year-Old Massapequa Girl Killed by LIRR Train 163 — MTAPD — MTA Police confirm the fatality and that no criminality is suspected
• Teen Girl Fatally Struck by LIRR Train on the Babylon Branch in Massapequa (this report)

Key Facts

What Happened

A 17-year-old girl was struck and killed by a Long Island Rail Road train on the tracks in Massapequa on Monday afternoon, June 8, 2026, during one of the busiest travel periods of the day. Nassau County Police and MTA officials confirmed the fatality, according to Massapequa Post, which first reported the incident. The girl was on the LIRR tracks when the train struck her; she was not authorized to be on the tracks, MTA officials stated.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority confirmed that service along the Babylon Branch was disrupted in both directions following the collision. Initial service alerts issued by the railroad reported delays of 10 to 20 minutes for several trains traveling through the Massapequa area. The incident struck during the heart of the afternoon rush hour, a period when the Babylon Branch carries a high volume of commuters traveling between Long Island and New York City.

Among the specific trains affected, as reported by Massapequa Post, were the 3:17 p.m. train from Penn Station to Babylon, which was operating 15 to 20 minutes behind schedule, and the 3:45 p.m. train from Penn Station to Massapequa, which experienced delays of 10 to 15 minutes. The 3:43 p.m. train running in the opposite direction — from Babylon to Penn Station — was also reported running 15 to 20 minutes late. Delays during the afternoon rush hour along the Babylon Branch can affect hundreds of commuters on any given weekday.

In its service advisories, the LIRR described the incident using the phrase “unauthorized person on the track,” the railroad’s standard terminology applied when a non-employee is present on or near active railroad infrastructure. This designation is routinely used by the MTA in public communications to describe trespass incidents, whether accidental or intentional, without characterizing the circumstances of the individual’s presence. The MTA had not released any additional details about the victim as of Monday evening, and no additional train cancellations related to the incident were reported beyond the initial delays.

As of Monday evening, Nassau County Police had not released any further identifying information about the girl, including her hometown or the precise location along the Massapequa tracks where the collision occurred. The investigation into the circumstances of the incident remained ongoing. This incident was previously referenced in an earlier Long Island Traffic alert as LIRR Delays Due To Unauthorized Person On Tracks In Massapequa, before the victim’s identity and the fatal nature of the collision were confirmed by officials.

Location & Road Context

The incident occurred along the Massapequa section of the LIRR’s Babylon Branch, which runs along the South Shore of Long Island through Nassau and into Suffolk County. The Babylon Branch is one of the Long Island Rail Road’s busiest lines, connecting South Shore communities from Babylon westward through Massapequa, Freeport, and Valley Stream to Penn Station in Manhattan. Trains operate at high frequency during rush hours, particularly in the afternoon peak period when multiple trains per hour pass through the Massapequa corridor. The tracks through this stretch pass through or adjacent to several residential neighborhoods, and unauthorized access to active railroad right-of-way in this area poses a severe and well-documented danger.

For real-time updates on LIRR service disruptions and road conditions in the area, visit our Long Island accidents and roads pages.

Broader Impact

The Babylon Branch sees among the highest ridership of any LIRR line, and incidents involving unauthorized persons on the tracks carry consequences that extend well beyond the immediate tragedy. Delays of 10 to 20 minutes rippling through both the eastbound and westbound timetable during afternoon rush hour can cascade across dozens of connecting trains and affect hundreds — potentially thousands — of evening commuters. The MTA’s use of the phrase “unauthorized person on the track” also reflects a broader challenge the railroad faces with trespass incidents along its right-of-way on Long Island, an issue that has prompted ongoing public safety campaigns in communities along the South Shore. The Massapequa area has seen a difficult stretch of critical incidents in recent weeks, including a fatal stabbing on June 2 and a Nassau County homicide investigation launched on June 1, underscoring the strain on local emergency responders and the broader community.