The heartbroken family of an eight-year-old who died this weekend after being sucked into a pipe in a hotel swimming pool is suing the popular hospitality chain for $1million in damages.
Aliyah Jaico's body was found 20 feet deep into a one-foot wide pipe on Saturday (23 March), following an extensive search for the missing youngster, whose family were staying at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Houston Brookhollow, Texas.
The girl was first reported missing 5.45pm after her family were unable to locate her on the premises following a swim in a lazy river style pool.
Houston Fire Department inspected four of the pool's pipes - each of which were roughly one foot wide - but were initially unable to find Aliyah - until harrowing security footage later reviewed showed the tot being pulled under the water and failing to resurface.
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The pool was subsequently drained and a small remote camera - provided by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice - was attached to a pole and sent 20 feet into the pipes, in which they discovered Aliyah's lifeless.
Houston police are still awaiting autopsy results. Her preliminary cause of death is noted as 'drowning and mechanical asphyxia', according to the Harris County Institute of Forensic Science.
The pool has since been closed and will remain so 'until all violations are corrected and pool passes reinspection', according to a Houston Health Department inspection report.
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Among the several violations listed in the report were that the 32-inch channel drains on the walls of the small pool did not include a document verifying the function of the drains.
Officials from the Houston Health Department have since declared that the pool was last inspected in June 2023.
As a result, Aliyah's devastated family - who yesterday released a statement paying tribute to their 'noble' daughter - are now suing the chain of Hilton hotels.
Richard Nava - who has been appointed to represent the family at this difficult time - told press of their intent to 'seek justice for Aliyah', adding 'this could've been avoided'.
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"Everybody knows this could’ve been avoidable," he said. "There was an issue with the flow of the water, the backflow, and we believe Aliyah was violently sucked into the hole that was about 12–16 inches wide."
According to the investigation's report, the youngster's body was contorted when she was sucked into the pipe and was subsequently extracted from the motor.
"They had to break up concrete in order to extract her, cut pipe, it was absolutely horrific," the lawyer added.
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"All the evidence is going to point to this hotel ran an establishment with many violations; the pool was not in working order and we’re going to show that in court."
A Hilton hotels spokesperson told Tyla: "Hilton offers our sincere condolences to the family and loved ones in the tragic loss of a young girl at the DoubleTree by Hilton Houston Brookhollow.
"This property is independently owned and operated by a third party. Hilton does not own, manage, or control the day-to-day operations of the property and does not employ any of the property’s staff or its third-party operators."
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LADbible Group previously contacted the legal representatives of DoubleTree by Hilton in Houston Brookhollow for a comment.
Rhianna Benson