A man whose young daughter drowned during a vacation provided a dubious explanation to the police regarding why he took her into a hot tub while under the influence of alcohol and drugs.

Reynard Tyrone Hough, 33, informed detectives that in the early hours of a particular Saturday, he entered the main bedroom of the Airbnb where the family was staying. Observing his wife and another child sleeping, he noticed his one-year-old daughter was awake and wanted to be with him. Hough claimed he then carried her outside to the hot tub, acknowledging that he had consumed alcohol and unknown narcotics.

According to a report from Law & Crime, Hough, a resident of Washington D.C., alleged that he fell asleep while holding his daughter for about 20 minutes. Upon waking, he sensed something was wrong as he felt her head drop and realized she was unresponsive. He hurried back into the property located in Kissimmee, Florida.

Despite alerting the child’s mother, who contacted authorities, Hough did not disclose that they were in the hot tub or that the child might have drowned. Deputies arriving at the scene found the girl foaming at the mouth and unresponsive. She was taken to the hospital but tragically succumbed to the incident.

Hough, now detained at Osceola County Jail without bond, faces charges of aggravated manslaughter of a child and child neglect with great bodily harm. The case is currently under investigation.

Guidelines from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents emphasize that children under five should not use hot tubs and parents should closely supervise them around such facilities, which should have secure covers. Hot tubs carry risks, with reported drowning incidents at home between 2014 and 2020. Caution is advised, especially when children or alcohol are involved.