A CHERISHED baby girl has tragically drowned in a heartbreaking holiday accident after her father fell asleep while holding her.
One-year-old Azariah Hough was in a hot tub in Florida with her father, Reynard Tyrone Hough, 33, when tragedy struck.
Azariah Hough, one, tragically drowned while on vacation with her family in FloridaCredit: GoFundMe
The baby girl had been in the hot tub with her dad when he fell asleepCredit: GoFundMe
The pair were on vacation, staying at an Airbnb rental with their family, when Reynard dozed off in the spa at 3.30am.
Holding Azariah, he had been sitting in the 37-inch-deep hot tub when he fell asleep for between 15 and 20 minutes on December 13, according to the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office.
When he woke, baby Azariah, who could not swim,
A frantic Reynard pulled her from the water and attempted to resuscitate her, while the baby’s distraught mother called for help.
Emergency services attended and rushed Azariah to the local hospital, however she was tragically pronounced dead at 4.30am, according to the sheriff’s office.
The Hough family had travelled to the Sunshine State from Washington D.C. to enjoy a holiday in Kissimmee – just 30 minutes out of Orlando.
Reynard told police he had been drinking alcohol as well as before getting into the hot tub with his daughter.
It has since been found that one of the substances was likely to have contributed to him falling asleep.
Investigators have since found him to be negligent in the death of his daughter.
Reynard was arrested and charged with child neglect with great bodily harm and manslaughter by aggravated abuse of a child, according to jail records seen by the Daily Mail.
A $15,000 bond has been set for the child neglect charge; however, Reynard was not granted bond for the serious felony offense.
He remains in custody at the Osceola County Jail.
The tragic incident remains under investigation.
Angel Hough, Azariah’s aunt, said her brother was “so distraught and tore up” over the death of the beloved baby girl.
“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 Daily Mail.
“She will be missed, and especially just seeing her little butt running around.
Azariah was unresponsive after being unable to swim in the hot tubCredit: Refer to source
Her father has since been taken into custodyCredit: WESH
“I just can’t believe it’s almost Christmas and this happened.”
Captain Kim Montes with the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office urged parents to stay vigilant with children 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 said.
Police have also revealed the baby’s mother and another young child were at the property at the time of the drowning.
“I feel bad for this mom and dad,” Montes said.
“We know they were devastated.
Azariah’s mother had been inside the AirBnb with another child at the time of the tragedyCredit: GoFundMe
Reynard remains in custody in FloridaCredit: Refer to source
“They had another six-month-old child there, in the room with mom, that she was trying to put down.”
Montes said the police understood that “watching two small kids are a challenge”.
Azariah has been fondly remembered as a “real talker”, who loved her Bluey toy, according to her obituary.
Her family said she “lit up every room she entered”.
She is remembered by her older brother, younger sister, her mom and several loving family members.
An online fundraiser has so far raised more than $3,300 to help her family transport her body to Maryland as well as for burial costs.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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