Man slept as boy drowned in Florida hotel pool: Cops
Share this @internewscast.com

Inset: Sharef Omar Smith (Brevard County Sheriff’s Office). Background: Quality Inn Hotel in Palm Bay, Florida, where a child under Smith’s supervision tragically drowned (Google Maps).

A man fell asleep in a Florida hotel pool as the 3-year-old boy he was caring for struggled to stay afloat and eventually drowned, according to cops.

Upon noticing the child in the pool, a hotel housekeeper hurried over to save him and managed to pull him from the water. Authorities reported that 40-year-old Sharef Omar Smith allegedly declined to assist the staff member and eventually responded with expletives.

The event occurred at approximately 11 a.m. on a Saturday at the Quality Inn located in Palm Bay. According to the affidavit for probable cause, the housekeeper was working on the third floor when she glanced at the pool and saw the child floating. She rushed downstairs, imploring Smith to “Grab the child!” However, Smith, who was resting on the pool steps, remained unmoved. The staff member retrieved the child, referred to in the report as KS, from the deep section of the pool.

The boy was “lifeless,” per the complaint.

The housekeeper, unfamiliar with CPR, attempted to resuscitate the child while desperately asking Smith for help, police noted. Smith eventually awoke but merely stood by without intervening, officers stated.

“She mentioned she continuously yelled at him to take action, but he refused to assist. She recounted that he finally responded with, ‘F— you, b—’ and continued cursing as she cradled KS,” the complaint indicated.

During the incident, Smith allegedly continued to verbally confront other staff members who came to provide aid and contacted 911. Officers observed a wine bottle among his belongings, and noted the smell of alcohol on his breath. Smith was reportedly uncooperative with law enforcement, according to the affidavit.

The boy was rushed to one hospital and airlifted to another but later died.

Cops got a hold of the child’s mother, who said Smith was not intoxicated when she left the room about 10 a.m. but she “knows him to be a heavy drinker and has had many DUIs,” cops wrote. After she left the hotel, Smith called her looking for the boy’s swimming suit. But she did not want Smith to take him to the pool because he is “irresponsible,” the affidavit stated.

While he was at the hospital an officer overheard the mother yelling at Smith on the phone for being “drunk again,” cops wrote.

Detectives reviewed surveillance video from the motel that showed the boy was “drowning for approximately 20 to 23 minutes in front of the defendant who was asleep in the pool,” the complaint said.

Smith is facing charges of child neglect and aggravated manslaughter. He’s being held at the Brevard County Jail without bond.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Shocking Confession: Serial Killer Admits to Hundreds of Murders for Food Incentives

On November 9, 1983, Henry Lee Lucas, an American, was found guilty…

Heartbreaking Tragedy: Infant Girl Dies Alone in Motel Baby Swing After Being Abandoned by Father

Background: Bestway Inn Motel in Muncie, Indiana (WTHR). Insets, from left: Jacob…

Triple Tragedy: Man Accused of Gruesome Neck Stabbing and Double Homicide

Inset: Adam Mercado (Mecklenburg County Sheriff”s Office). Background: The 1100 block of…

Pre-Dawn Predator: The Chilling Story of Parking Lot Attacks on Women

Thomas O’Bryen (Norfolk Police Department). A Virginia resident faces a lifetime in…

Urgent: Authorities Request Public Assistance in Locating Missing Georgia Man and His Dog

The search effort persists for a Georgia man who mysteriously disappeared on…

Tragic Family Incident: Suicide Pact Turns Deadly in Shocking Case, Authorities Report

Left inset: Barbara Bates. Right inset: Neil Bates (Lee County Sheriff’s Office).…

Notorious Case Update: Brian Walshe Attacked in Prison Amid Ongoing Murder Allegations

Brian Walshe, a resident of Cohasset, has been formally charged with the…

Michigan Woman Sought by Police After Throwing Scalding Coffee at McDonald’s Manager in Heated Dispute

Authorities in Michigan are on the hunt for a woman accused of…

Stolen Truck Leads to Arrest: Suspect Faces Additional Home Invasion Charges

Staff Report GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Two men, Aamir Jalil Sims, 30, from…

Tragic Infanticide: Newborn Girl Fatally Scalded by Parents Sparks Outrage and Legal Action

Left: Z’ibreyea S. Parker. Right: Hilary Johnson II (Norfolk Police Department). Inset:…

Tragic Loss: Officer Killed in Line of Duty Safeguarding North Carolina Hospital Patients and Families

In a tragic incident on Saturday morning, a police officer from Garner,…

18-Year-Old Charged Following Alleged Carjacking Spree Involving Cat Fatality and Driver Assault

An 18-year-old man is in custody after allegedly stealing two cars and…