3-year-old boy died while in the care of his drunk father, who “just stood there not doing anything” as the child was pulled from the pool he had been drowning in for nearly half an hour
Florida – In a shocking incident in Florida, a 40-year-old Georgia man, identified as S. Smith, is facing serious charges after his 3-year-old son drowned in a hotel pool while under his care. Authorities say Smith was intoxicated and failed to help as the child struggled for nearly half an hour before being pulled from the water by a hotel employee. Smith has been charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child and child neglect. He is currently being held in the county jail without bond, according to court records.
The tragedy unfolded on the last Saturday in July at a hotel in Florida. A hotel maid cleaning a third-floor room glanced down toward the pool and was horrified to see a small boy floating motionless in the water. She ran downstairs, shouting at Smith — who was sitting on the pool steps — to help rescue the child. The arrest affidavit states that the boy, identified only as KS, had been drowning for approximately half an hour while Smith was asleep near the pool. Despite the maid’s desperate pleas to “Grab the baby!”, Smith did nothing.
The staff member pulled the child from the deep end herself and found him “lifeless.” Although she did not know CPR, she tried to revive him, all while begging Smith for help. But, police say, Smith only “stood there not doing anything.” According to the complaint, he eventually looked at her and said, “F— you, b—”, before continuing to use profanity toward her and other staff who rushed to help. Other hotel employees quickly called 911. First responders arrived and immediately began life-saving measures before rushing the boy to a nearby hospital. He was later airlifted to another medical facility but tragically could not be saved.
Investigators noted Smith smelled strongly of alcohol. A wine bottle was found in his hotel room and bag. Witnesses and staff confirmed he was belligerent and uncooperative even as the child was being treated. The boy’s mother told detectives she had left the hotel around 10 a.m., leaving her son in Smith’s care. She insisted Smith had not appeared intoxicated at the time but admitted she “knows him to be a heavy drinker and has had many DUIs.” She also said she did not want Smith to take her son swimming because he was “irresponsible.” After she left, Smith reportedly called her asking for the boy’s swimsuit. At the hospital, an officer overheard her yelling at him on the phone, accusing him of being “drunk again.”
Detectives later reviewed surveillance video from the hotel, which confirmed the maid’s account. The footage showed the toddler struggling in the pool for close to 23 minutes while Smith remained on the water steps, apparently asleep. Major details from the affidavit painted a chilling picture: while the child fought for his life, the man responsible for his care failed to act and, when confronted, resorted to profanities rather than assistance.
Smith now faces aggravated manslaughter and child neglect charges, charges that could place him behind bars for decades if convicted. Authorities called the incident entirely preventable, emphasizing that Smith’s alleged intoxication and inaction directly led to the 3-year-old boy’s death. As Smith remains behind bars awaiting his next court date, the boy’s family and the community are left mourning a tragedy that many say could have been avoided if only someone had stepped in sooner.
