The parents of a 4-year-old autistic girl who drowned in a Florida Airbnb earlier this month are planning to take legal action against the rental platform. They feel misled by the description of the property as “family friendly” and have also asked the homeowner to take down the listing.
Kennedy Ray, from Atlanta, was discovered at the bottom of the swimming pool on March 5 at the rental home in northern Miami-Dade County, as reported by NBC Miami.
Her parents were asleep when she ventured into the backyard and accidentally fell into the pool. They are now insisting that the homeowner remove the listing from all rental platforms and are preparing to sue.
“I lost a child. A 4-year-old. She was only here for four years. We loved her so much. I miss her so much. I can’t hear her laugh anymore. I just want to hold her,” her mother, Adena Francis, expressed tearfully during a press conference held at the Airbnb property on Tuesday.
Francis, holding her daughter’s funeral program, further emphasized, “I’m a mother, and I don’t want anyone to experience this.” The Miami Herald also covered her poignant remarks.
The family’s lawyers pointed out that the property lacked crucial safety features mandated for short-term rentals with pools, including safety fencing, safety covers, pool alarms, and door latches—requirements set by Miami-Dade County regulations.
“A child gained access to the backyard. There was no alarm, there was no fence, so we lost Kennedy,” stated attorney Adam Finkel from Haggard Law during the press conference.
Finkel raised a critical question, stating, “How can you advertise a home as family friendly if it has a pool and lacks necessary safety measures?”
Airbnb has not responded to immediate requests for comment but previously expressed their condolences regarding the incident.
The company stated, “The loss of a child is a tragedy. Our hearts go out to the Ray family.” They also mentioned their support for initiatives aimed at enhancing safety standards for properties with pools, including offers for hosts on pool safety measures and educational campaigns for water safety.
While the property has been removed from Airbnb, it reportedly remains active on other short-term rental platforms as of Tuesday, according to the Miami Herald.
