8-year-old Houston girl was 'violently sucked' into hotel swimming pool pipe, wrongful death lawsuit claims

Houston – The little girl who died after getting stuck in a pool pipe at a 
Houston hotel over the weekend “loved to swim,” according to a wrongful 
death lawsuit filed late Monday by her family.

The medical examiner said her death was caused by drowning and mechanical 
asphyxiation.

Houston hotel pool where 8-year-old girl drowned over the weekend is 
closed until further notice

Eight-year-old Aliyah Jaico’s body was found after first responders 
drained the pool Saturday night at the DoubleTree by Hilton Houston 
Brookhollow, located at 12801 Northwest Freeway. Now investigators are 
working to figure out how something like this could happen and who is 
responsible.

Jaico was swimming with other family members in a lazy river-style pool at 
the hotel when she somehow got stuck inside a large pipe that feeds into 
the pool. She was reported missing around 5:45 p.m. Saturday and her body 
was recovered around 6:30 Sunday morning.

Family mourns loss of young boy killed in backyard swing set accident 
during celebration in Liberty County
The family has hired attorney Richard Nava who tells KPRC 2 that he has 
filed a wrongful death suit on behalf of Aliyah Jaico’s family.

The lawsuit names Unique Crown Hospitality LLC D/B/A DoubleTree by Hilton 
Houston Brookhollow and Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. as defendants. It 
had not been given a case number or assigned to a court as of late Monday.

The lawsuit alleges Jaico’s family tried to get hotel management to look 
at security camera video around 30 minutes after she disappeared, but 
management denied their request and said law enforcement had to be present 
to view the video surveillance.

Jaico’s family called 911 around 5:45 p.m. to report her missing and a 
search ensued where Texas EquuSearch and police were granted access to 
view the security footage.

“She was just nowhere to be found so it was saturated with officers who 
were looking for her,” said Texas EquuSearch Deputy Director Angelina 
Farris.

Farris said there was an initial thought that Jaico was abducted from the 
hotel and that’s how efforts were focused. But once investigators reviewed 
surveillance video, they discovered Jaico had gone under water and never 
emerged, according to the lawsuit.

“A team was then put together to drain the pool and video cameras were 
attached to 20-foot poles to inspect the pipes when her body was 
discovered wedged in the pipes of the malfunctioning pool equipment,” the 
lawsuit said.

The images came as a big surprise to those helping find Jaico.

“It was unimaginable and even when you’re looking at it, you’re just 
thinking, ‘surely that’s not what I’m seeing’,” Farris said.

Rescuers had to use heavy machinery to break through tile and dirt and 
eventually recovered Jaico’s body around 6:30 a.m., more than 12 hours 
after she disappeared.

The lawsuit alleges gross negligence on the part of the hotel which led to 
the death of Jaico.

The family is seeking over $1 million in damages, according to the 
lawsuit. A jury trial has also been requested.

“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,” a Hilton spokesperson wrote in an email to KPRC 2.

The company referred other questions to lawyers for the hotel ownership 
group.

Unique Crown Hospitality also released a statement:

“Everyone at Unique Crowne Hospitality, which owns and operates the 
DoubleTree by Hilton Houston Brookhollow, is deeply saddened by the tragic 
loss of a young girl at our hotel on Saturday evening. We offer our 
sincere and deepest condolences to her family and loved ones at this 
difficult time. Our commitment to providing a safe and secure environment 
for our guests is paramount and we will continue to cooperate fully with 
all authorities investigating this incident. Due to the ongoing nature of 
the investigation, we cannot provide further comment.”

Nava plans to hold a news conference Tuesday at 11 a.m.

We’ll carry that live on the KPRC 2 app, our website, and the KPRC 2+ 
streaming app.

https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2024/03/25/8-year-old-houston-
girl-who-drowned-in-hotel-pool-is-identified-family-hires-attorney/