Toddler dead after dad fell asleep with her in hot tub, deputies say

OSCEOLA COUNTY, Florida (WESH) — A 1-year-old was found unresponsive in a hot tub Saturday just after 3:30 a.m., according to the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office.

Osceola County deputies and Osceola County Fire Rescue responded to a home off Nice Court in Kissimmee.

The 20-month-old toddler, Azariah Hough, appeared to have drowned in the hot tub, the OCSO said.

The home was listed as an Airbnb, and a family from Washington, D.C., was staying at the residence.

The toddler was transported to Advent Health Celebration, and she was pronounced dead just after 4:30 a.m., the OCSO said.

The father, 33-year-old Reynard Tyrone Hough, told detectives he was with his child in the hot tub and fell asleep with her in his arms. When he woke up, the child was unresponsive, he told the OCSO.

“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,” said Angel Hough, his sister.

WESH 2 spoke exclusively with Hough’s sister, brother and mother from Washington, D.C.

They are all heartbroken by this loss and grieving the loss of Azariah.

“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,” said Angel Hough.

Detectives determined the father was neglectful in the death of his daughter, and he was arrested for child neglect with great bodily harm.

Hough told detectives he was drinking that night, and police say alcohol likely contributed to his falling asleep. Hough also ingested two different narcotics before getting into the water with his daughter, he told detectives.

“I feel bad for this mom and dad; they were devastated and they had another 6-month-old child at the home. We do know that watching two small kids can be challenging,” said Capt. Kim Montes, with the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office.

The charge of aggravated manslaughter of a child was added Sunday.

Hough appeared in court Monday and was issued no bond. He remains in custody at the Osceola County Jail. His next scheduled hearing is set for Friday.

The incident remains under investigation.