Mary Mara was born in Long Beach, New York, and began her acting career at 14 years old. She starred in such television shows as “Nash Bridges,” “Dexter,” and “ER” throughout a 30-year career that stretched from California to New York. She died at 61 of an apparent drowning in upstate New York.

The New York State Police announced her death, describing it as a “following an apparent drowning.” According to the police, Mara’s body was discovered on Sunday morning in the St. Lawrence River near Cape Vincent, N.Y., near the border with Canada, and that a preliminary investigation suggested she had drowned while swimming. She resided in Cape Vincent

Mara began her professional acting career at the age of four. Her mother, Lucille Mara, was an accountant, and her father, Roger Mara, was the former director of special events for the New York State Fair. According to The San Francisco Examiner in 1996, her brother Roger said that Mary and he were inspired by their mother’s love of drama

Ms. Mara studied at San Francisco State University and then earned a master’s degree in fine arts from Yale School of Drama after graduating from Corcoran High School in Syracuse. She has worked in theater since 1989, when she appeared with Michelle Pfeiffer, Jeff Goldblum, and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio in the New York Shakespeare

In 1992, she had her first on-screen credit in the television film “The Preppie Murder,” based on the real-life story of a young woman’s murder in New York. In 1992, she appeared in Billy Crystal’s “Love Potion No. 9” and “Mr. Saturday Night,” where she played his estranged daughter.

Her other films include the 2008 slasher “Prom Night.”

She made her mark on television history as a guest star in “ER” from 1995 to 1996, playing Loretta Sweet, and as a regular on “Nash Bridges” from 1996 to 1997, playing Inspector Bryn Carson.

She has also expressed regret that her character on Freemantle was overshadowed by Don Johnson and Cheech Marin’s male detectives on Miami Vice.

“It is a male-dominated show with Don and Cheech the principals,” she said in 1999. Although the show’s writers “started to write for me really well about halfway through the season,” she added, the producers “were afraid I would stand out too much.”

Water can be both a refuge and a peril. For those who live near large bodies of water, it is often the former. But for others, water can be deadly. Drowning is one of the leading causes of accidental death, and it can happen in just a few inches of water.

Drowning does not always look like what you might expect. It can be quiet and quick, with little to no splashing or struggling. That’s why it’s so important to never swim alone and to always keep an eye on children around water.

If someone appears to be drowning, it is crucial to act quickly. Pull them out of the water and call for help. If the person is unresponsive, start CPR right away.

Water can be a beautiful and peaceful place. But it can also be dangerous. Be safe and always keep an eye on those around you.

This content is provided by the National Safety Council.