A grieving Miami-Dade County family is speaking out weeks after their 4-year-old autistic daughter drowned in the pool of an Airbnb short-term rental while they slept. The family is now calling for the homeowner to remove the listing from all rental sites and plans to file a lawsuit.
Adeanah Francis returned to the home on Northeast 202nd Street and 15th Avenue, where her daughter, Kennedi Ray, drowned on March 5. Holding her daughter’s funeral program, Francis broke down and spoke through tears about the loss.
“She only got four years here. We loved her so much. We miss her so much,” Francis said, adding, “I am a mother, and I wouldn’t want any of you to go through this.”
The family’s attorney, Adam Finkel with the Haggard Law Firm, said the property lacked mandatory safety measures required by a Miami-Dade County ordinance for pools at short-term rentals. The ordinance requires at least one safety feature, such as a pool safety barrier, pool safety cover, pool alarm, or a door latch or alarm.
“A child got access to the backyard. No alarm went off, no barriers were there, and we lost Kennedi,” Finkel said. “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?”
Airbnb, the booking website the family used, released 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.”
The listing has been removed from Airbnb but remains active on other short-term rental sites. Finkel confirmed the family’s plan to file a lawsuit against the responsible parties.
