Aliyah Jaico: Mother of 8-year-old girl who died after getting sucked into pool pipe at Houston DoubleTree files lawsuit
HOUSTON, TEXAS: The mother of 8-year-old Aliyah Jaico, whose body was found inside a big pipe at the DoubleTree Hotel in northwest Houston, has filed a lawsuit against the hotel while the police is investigating the girl's death.
As previously reported, the incident took place on Saturday, March 23, just after 10 pm. A witness reported to the police that they saw someone stuck in a pipe in the "lazy river-style" pool.
Aliyah Jaico died from mechanical asphyxia and drowning
The girl was discovered "inside a large pipe in the pool area." Jaico died from "mechanical asphyxia" and drowning, according to the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences, and the death is ruled accidental.
The lawsuit was filed on Monday, March 25 by Jaico's mother, Jose Daniela Jaico Ahumada, who claimed that her daughter had been dragged into an unguarded opening in the pool's circulation system that was between 12 and 16 inches wide.
Ahumada's attorney, Richard Nava, said workers "had to break up concrete in order to extract her, cut pipe; it was absolutely horrific.”
Hilton Doubletree Hilton Worldwide Holdings and Houston Brookhollow are named as defendants in the lawsuit.
According to a Hilton representative, the property is owned by a third party but runs on its own. The representative said that Hilton had not yet received the lawsuit and declined to comment further.
The pool has since been closed, according to Click 2 Houston, after inspectors discovered multiple infractions, including remodel plans that did not adhere to federal compliance regulations. At this point, it's unclear when the remodeling was completed.
“Operator failed to obtain a pre-opening inspection prior to placing the pool into operation after a remodel,” investigator Curtis Cagle wrote in an inspection report.
Pool was unsuitable for children
Additionally, the pool did not follow federal guidelines designed to prevent child drowning incidents and stop drain entrapment.
An additional "outlet cover was partially missing from the pipe where search and recovery occurred," according to inspectors, and one pipe opening had a missing cover, Click2Houston reported.
In the report, inspectors also mentioned that they observed two jagged edges on the deck of the lazy river. Additionally, they discovered excrement on the pool deck, which they surmised originated from a dog.
According to reports, the hotel pool operator was instructed to provide the Houston Permitting Center with updated plans that matched the on-site specifications.
A copy of the ownership verification form, the pre-opening document request, the building permit, and the W-9 are also required.
“A pool operator is required to submit plans to the Houston Planning Center for major structure and plumbing changes,” a Houston Health Department spokesperson told Click2Houston.
The spokesperson concluded, “The Health Department is then notified to review plans for compliance to the pool codes adopted by the city. The pool operator also needs a pre-opening inspection before getting the pool in operation after a remodel.”
