A one-year-old baby girl has tragically died after drowning in a hot tub during a family holiday in Florida, with her father now facing criminal charges.
A Fatal Night in a Holiday Rental
The incident occurred in the early hours of December 13 at an Airbnb rental home in Kissimmee, roughly 30 minutes from Orlando. According to the Osceola County Sheriff's Office, Reynard Tyrone Hough, 33, was holding his daughter, Azariah Hough, in a 37-inch-deep hot tub when he fell asleep for an estimated 15 to 20 minutes.
Hough, who had travelled to Florida from Washington D.C. with his family, later admitted to investigators that he had been drinking alcohol and had ingested two different narcotics before entering the water with his daughter, as reported by WESH-TV.
Frantic Efforts and a Devastating Outcome
When Hough awoke, little Azariah, who could not swim, was unresponsive. He frantically pulled her from the water and attempted CPR while the baby's mother called for emergency services.
The infant was rushed to a local hospital but was pronounced dead around 4.30am. Detectives concluded that Hough was negligent, stating the substances he consumed likely contributed to him falling asleep and failing to supervise his child.
Charges and Family Anguish
Hough was subsequently arrested and charged with child neglect with great bodily harm and manslaughter by aggravated abuse of a child. Jail records show a $15,000 bond was set for the neglect charge, but he was denied bond for the more serious felony offence. He remains in the Osceola County Jail as the investigation continues.
The family's grief is profound. Azariah's aunt, Angel Hugh, described her brother as 'so distraught and tore up'. She remembered her niece as a joyful child, saying, '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.'
Azariah's obituary remembered her as a 'real talker' who adored her Bluey toy. She leaves behind her mother, an older brother, and a six-month-old sister, who was in the rental home with her mother at the time of the drowning.
Captain Kim Montes of the Osceola County Sheriff's Office issued a stark warning: '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.'
A GoFundMe page has been established to support Azariah's mother, noting the baby was on her first family trip to Florida to watch her brother play in a basketball championship. The page has raised thousands of dollars to help the family bring Azariah's body back to Maryland.
