Nationwide — Reynard Hough, a 33-year-old African American father from Kissimmee, Florida, is facing charges after his 20-month-old daughter drowned in a hot tub. The child died after Hough reportedly fell asleep while holding her in his arms.
The family, originally from Washington, D.C., was staying at an Airbnb in Florida at the time. According to WLBT, Hough told deputies that he took the toddler into the hot tub and dozed off while holding her.
He woke up to find her unresponsive. Emergency responders were called, and she was rushed to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Authorities arrested Hough on charges of child neglect with great bodily harm and aggravated manslaughter of a child. The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office said the investigation is still ongoing.
Deputies are reviewing the circumstances, including how long the toddler was in the hot tub. Officials are urging parents to stay vigilant around water, especially with young children, highlighting the risks of even brief moments of unsupervised water exposure.