Four-year-old from Austria drowns in hotel pool in Italy – Investigations against father and hotel

According to initial investigation results, the family had eaten lunch together shortly before the incident. Afterwards, the mother went to the hotel room with the two older sisters, while the father remained with the four-year-old in a lounge area with children's games. The father had asked the girl to wait for him and went to the room for about ten minutes, according to reports.

Sequence on the day of the tragedy

During this time, the child left the area. Surveillance cameras show the girl going down the stairs from the hotel to the pool area and reaching the entrance of the swimming pool. The further path of the girl is not visible in the camera images. It remains unclear so far how the girl got into the water – whether she fell in or entered the pool on her own.

About ten minutes after the father had left, two young male hotel guests entered the pool area to swim. They discovered a motionless body in the water, pulled the child out of the pool, and called for help. A doctor, who was also among the hotel guests, immediately began resuscitation measures, which were later continued by emergency services.

Rescue attempts and death in the hospital

The girl later died in the hospital. The water depth of the pool is reportedly about 70 to 150 centimeters. One of the two young men later told investigators: "Ich dachte, es wäre eine Puppe."

The public prosecutor's office plans to order an autopsy to clarify the exact cause of death. The focus of the investigation is on whether the pool area was properly secured. There was initially no information available about the family's exact place of origin in Austria.

Open questions and next steps

The case has caused a stir in Italy and Austria and raises questions about the safety of hotel pools for families with small children. The authorities announced their intention to fully clarify the sequence of the tragedy.

The investigations against the hotel and the father are ongoing. Results of the autopsy and further investigation steps are expected in the coming days.