Child nearly drowns in hot tub, mom charged

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Two resort workers are credited with saving the life of a 3-year-old boy who nearly drowned Sunday night in a hot tub in Daytona Beach Shores. The boy’s mother, Apryl Connolly, 36, of Deltona, was arrested and charged with child neglect after investigators said she admitted to consuming alcohol, marijuana, oxycodone and suboxone prior to the incident. Advertisement Police were called Sunday night to Perry's Ocean Edge Resort on Atlantic Avenue after a desk clerk viewing surveillance video from the lobby suspected a child was drowning. An investigation into the incident revealed that 3-year-old twin boys were in the hot tub with their mother and father. As the pool was closing, the father left the children in the care of Connolly while he gathered the family's belongings. Moments later, the desk clerk, who was watching the surveillance video from the lobby, saw the twins return to the hot tub. One of the boys then stepped into the middle of the hot tub and went under the water. The desk clerk radioed another staff member, who was able to pull the boy from the water and begin performing CPR. The child eventually began breathing on his own, but he was taken to Arnold Palmer Hospital for further treatment. When officers reviewed the video surveillance footage they said Connolly could be seen throwing something in the garbage while her son was being resuscitated. Police said they pulled a pill from the trash and Connolly eventually admitted that she was under the influence. In addition to a charge of felony child neglect, Connolly was also charged with destroying evidence, police said.