Florida mother accused of drinking and taking drugs when 3-year-old nearly drowned in hotel hot tub

DAYTONA BEACH SHORES, Florida -- A Florida mother faces child neglect charges after her 3-year-old son fell into a hot tub at a resort and almost drowned, Daytona Beach Shores police said.

Police said Apryl Connolly, 36, of Deltona was intoxicated when the boy fell into the hot tub at Perry's Ocean Edge Resort.

An incident report said Connolly was in the hot tub with her twin sons and their father. As the pool was closing, the father left the children in the care of their mother as he gathered the family's belongings, police said.

Desk clerk Wanda Van Blarrume was watching surveillance video of the pool area and saw the twins return to the hot tub, WFTV reported. She then saw the 3-year-old step into the middle and go underwater, police said.

Van Blarrume radioed another staff member, Michael Johnson, who pulled the boy out of the water, police said.

The report said the child was not breathing and did not have a pulse. Johnson and the boy's father began CPR, but another guest, Brittany Fishel, continued resuscitation efforts until the child began to breathe on his own, police said.

The boy was hospitalized at Arnold Palmer Children's Hospital in serious condition.

Officers said Connolly was seen in surveillance video throwing an object in the garbage can while her child was being resuscitated.

Police said they found a pill in the garbage can and that Connolly admitted to throwing it away.

According to investigators, Connolly also admitted to consuming alcohol, marijuana, oxycodone and Suboxone prior to the incident.

Connolly was charged with felony child neglect and destruction of evidence. She is in jail without bail.