A precious one-year-old baby girl fatally drowned after her father fell asleep while holding her in a hot tub during a family vacation in Florida, police said.
Azariah Hough was with her father, Reynard Tyrone Hough, 33, at an Airbnb rental home around 3.30am on December 13 in Kissimmee, about 30 minutes outside of Orlando, when tragedy struck.
Hough, who had traveled to the Sunshine State with his family from Washington D.C., held his daughter in his arms while he fell asleep for about 15 to 20 minutes inside the 37-inch-deep hot tub, according to the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office.
When he woke up, little Azariah, who could not swim, was unresponsive. Her father then frantically pulled her from the water and attempted CPR while the baby’s mother called for help.
The baby was transported to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead around 4.30am, per the sheriff’s office.
Hugh later admitted he was drinking alcohol that night. He also told police he ingested two different narcotics before getting in the water with his daughter, WESH-TV reported.
Detectives have since determined he was negligent in the death of his daughter as the substance likely contributed to his falling asleep, authorities said.
He was arrested and charged with child neglect with great bodily harm and manslaughter by aggravated abuse of a child, according to jail records reviewed by the Daily Mail.
One-year-old Azariah Hough tragically drowned after her father fell asleep while holding her in a hot tub in Florida, according to police
The baby’s father, Reynard Tyrone Hough, 33, eventually told police he was drinking and ingested two narcotics before entering the hot tub (pictured) with Azariah
A $15,000 bond has been set for the child neglect charge, but he was not granted bond for the serious felony offence.
He remains locked up inside the Osceola County Jail, and the fatal incident remains under investigation.
Angel Hugh, the father’s sister, said he is ‘so distraught and tore up’ over the tragic incident.
‘It’s very hard losing a niece this way and then we have so much hurt for my brother because he’s just so distraught and tore up,’ she told the outlet.
Speaking of her niece, Angel said: ‘She will be missed, and especially just seeing her little butt running around. I just can’t believe it’s almost Christmas and this happened.’
Captain Kim Montes with the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office stressed how dangerous it can be for children to be around water.
‘Children and water can be so dangerous, and the parents’ job is to make sure that all eyes are on them, focused, not under the influence, so that they can keep their kids safe,’ she told the outlet.
Montes also revealed that Hugh and the baby’s mother had another young child at home when the drowning occurred.
Detectives have since determined he was negligent in the death of his daughter, as the substances likely contributed to his falling asleep
Hugh is seen with her late daughter in an undated picture. At the time of the tragedy, Azariah’s mother was trying to get her six-month-old sister to go to bed, police said
‘I feel bad for this mom and dad. We know they were devastated. They had another six-month-old child there, in the room with mom, that she was trying to put down,’ Montes said.
‘So we know that watching two small kids is a challenge.’
Azariah has been remembered as a ‘real talker’ who adored her Bluey toy, her obituary read.
She leaves behind her older brother, younger sister, mother, and countless loving family members.
Her body is set to be transported back to her family in Maryland, according to a GoFundMe page.
Azariah has been remembered as a ‘real talker’ who adored her Bluey toy, her obituary read
Hugh was arrested and charged with child neglect with great bodily harm and manslaughter by aggravated abuse of a child
The donation website was set up to help Azariah’s mother during this challenging time.
‘Azariah was a sweet, loving, joyful, and charismatic little girl,’ the page read, adding that the baby was on her first family trip to Florida, where they were supporting her brother in his basketball championship game.
‘Azariah lit up every room she entered. She had just become a big sister seven months ago and adored her siblings with all her heart,’ the organizer wrote.
As of Sunday afternoon, nearly $3,400 had been raised.
