Deputies say the 20-month-old girl was found unresponsive at a vacation rental in the early morning hours.
KISSIMMEE, Fla. — A Washington, D.C., father was arrested after his 20-month-old daughter died early Saturday in a hot tub at a short-term rental home in Kissimmee, investigators said. Deputies allege the man fell asleep while holding the child and later woke to find her unresponsive.
Osceola County detectives said the girl was pulled from a hot tub at a home on Nice Court just after 3:30 a.m. Saturday. She was taken to AdventHealth Celebration and pronounced dead shortly after 4:30 a.m. The child’s father, identified by deputies as 33-year-old Reynard Tyrone Hough of Washington, D.C., was initially booked on child neglect causing great bodily harm, and a charge of aggravated manslaughter of a child was added Sunday. The death remains under investigation, and Hough was held without bond after a first court appearance Monday.
Deputies said Hough told investigators he brought his daughter into the hot tub and fell asleep with her in his arms. When he woke up, the toddler was not responsive. Detectives said Hough acknowledged drinking earlier that night, and he also told them he had ingested two narcotics before getting into the water. Capt. Kim Montes of the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office said investigators considered the totality of choices made before the incident. “We feel for this mom and dad. They were devastated,” Montes said in an interview. “But small children around water require constant, sober supervision.” Relatives reached by local media described the event as a family trip that turned tragic.
Officials said the family had traveled from Washington, D.C., and was staying at a home listed as an Airbnb in the Four Corners area near Kissimmee. The sheriff’s office said deputies and Osceola County Fire Rescue responded to the call shortly after 3:30 a.m. The girl, whom relatives identified as Azariah Hough, was transported by ambulance. A medical examiner later determined drowning as the cause of death. According to an arrest report summarized in court, Hough attempted CPR in the backyard while the child’s mother called 911 from inside the home. Deputies said a second child, a six-month-old, was also in the home but was not involved.
Property records and the sheriff’s office described the scene as a single-family vacation rental with an attached patio area where the hot tub sits near a pool. Detectives documented water depth at 37 inches in the tub and noted there was no evidence the toddler could swim. Investigators said the hot tub’s location and depth were among the factors reviewed in determining probable cause for the neglect and manslaughter counts. Hough, who deputies said provided multiple statements, could not explain why he brought the child into the tub late at night, according to an arrest affidavit read aloud in court. The department said its investigation includes interviews, scene photographs and a timeline of the evening leading up to the emergency call.
The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office said it filed the aggravated manslaughter charge on Sunday, one day after the initial arrest. Hough appeared in court Monday, where a judge ordered no bond. Jail records list him at the Osceola County Jail pending another hearing scheduled for Friday. Detectives said they are continuing to collect statements and review any available video from the property and surrounding homes. The sheriff’s office also said it will coordinate with the State Attorney’s Office on formal filing decisions in the coming days.
Relatives interviewed by local television stations said the family is shattered by the sudden loss so close to the holidays. “She will be missed,” Hough’s sister said, describing the toddler as energetic and affectionate. Outside the sheriff’s office, Montes said deputies spoke with both parents at length. “We know watching two small kids is a challenge,” she said. “The focus now is documenting exactly what happened and presenting a complete case.” Neighbors in the subdivision described an overnight response with multiple patrol cars and an ambulance in the cul-de-sac as investigators worked through the morning.
As of Tuesday afternoon, Hough remained jailed as the investigation continued. Deputies said they expect to submit their full case to prosecutors after additional interviews and evidence reviews this week, with the next court date set for Friday. No additional arrests are anticipated at this time.
Author note: Last updated December 16, 2025.