The parents of a 4-year-old autistic girl who tragically drowned at an Airbnb in Florida are preparing to take legal action against the rental company. The property was advertised as “family friendly,” and the grieving parents are urging the homeowner to delist the property from rental platforms.
Kennedi Ray, hailing from Atlanta, was discovered at the bottom of a swimming pool at the rental property in northern Miami-Dade County on March 5, as reported by NBC Miami.
While the parents were asleep, their daughter ventured outside and fell into the pool. In response, they are demanding the removal of the listing from all rental sites and are planning to initiate a lawsuit.
“I lost my child. I lost my 4-year-old. She only got four years here. We loved her so much. We miss her so much. I’m never gonna hear my child laugh again. I just wanna hug,” expressed Ray’s mother, Adenah Francis, with tears at a press conference held at the Airbnb property on Tuesday.
“I am a mother, and I wouldn’t want any of you to go through this,” Francis added, holding a program from her daughter’s funeral, as reported by the Miami Herald.
The family’s attorney argued that the property lacked the essential safety features mandated for pools at short-term rental properties, including a safety barrier, safety cover, pool alarm, or door latch, as required by a Miami-Dade County ordinance.
“A child got access to the backyard. No alarm went off, no barriers were there, and we lost Kennedi,” attorney Adam Finkel with the Haggard Law Firm said at Tuesday’s press conference.
“How on earth can a house be advertised as family-friendly when it has a pool and none of the safety measures are effectively in place?” Finkel added.
Airbnb did not respond immediately to requests for comment, but previously issued a statement regarding the tragedy.
“The loss of a child is a tragedy and our hearts go out to the Ray family,” the company said.
“Airbnb has supported recent bipartisan efforts in the Florida state legislature to strengthen safety standards for all homes with pools. We also continue to work with partners on education campaigns and initiatives to promote water safety – including discounted pool fences for hosts and in-app safety tips for guests booking stays near water,” the statement concluded.
The listing has since been removed from Airbnb, but, as of Tuesday, remained active on other short-term rental sites, the Miami Herald reported.
