In south Texas, authorities are investigating the tragic death of an 8-year-old girl who was found the body in a pool pipe at a hotel near Houston over the weekend.

A spokesperson from the Houston Police Department confirmed that the incident occurred on Saturday at the DoubleTree Hotel located on the city's northwest side, along US Highway 290, about 14 miles from downtown Houston.

Officers responded to the scene around 5:45 PM Saturday after receiving a report from the family about the Texas girl's disappearance, People reports.

Per the police statement, detectives from the homicide division revealed that the Texas girl had been swimming with family members in a "lazy river-style swimming pool" at the hotel before her death.

Later that evening, at approximately 11:30 PM, authorities discovered the Texas girl's body "inside a large pipe in the pool area."

Local news station KTRK-TV reported that her body was found following a review of security footage by a search crew, which showed her going underwater and not resurfacing.

Texas Girl's Pool Tragedy Prompts Investigation, Hotel Closure

Tim Miller, founder of Texas EquuSearch, expressed deep sorrow over the tragic incident, stating, "This is one of the saddest ones we've seen in a good while," as reported by ABC affiliate KTRK-TV.

The Texas girl has been identified as Aliyah Jaico by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Science, according to USA Today.

The institute stated that the preliminary cause of death is "drowning and mechanical asphyxia," suggesting an accidental demise.

Miller suggested that the Texas girl might have been drawn into the pipe due to a malfunction, causing it to pull water inward instead of pushing it out.

He recounted the emotional moments following the discovery of the girl's body, noting that many had to wipe away tears.

Following the incident, the pool at the DoubleTree Hotel in northwest Houston was closed after inspectors discovered several violations, as indicated by a document from the Houston Health Department shared by NBC affiliate KPRC-TV.

The closure will persist until all violations are addressed and the pool passes reinspection.

Despite requests for comment, the hotel declined to provide a statement to KTRK-TV but confirmed the temporary closure of the pool.

According to the March 25 document from the Houston Health Department, an environmental investigator cited numerous violations in the pool area, including the absence of essential safety features like proper signage.

The investigator also noted that the small pool's 32-inch channel drains lacked valid documentation regarding their function, installation date, and expiration date.

The pool area is being reinspected for April 22, according to the document.

Police stated that they are awaiting autopsy results as part of an ongoing investigation into the incident.

Reflecting on the tragedy, Miller expressed disbelief, stating, "I never, ever thought in a million years it was going to end up as bad as it ended up," emphasizing the profound grief experienced by the victim's family and anticipating a long and painful healing process.

Texas Girl Family Sues Hotel Over Pool Tragedy

Attorney Richard Nava has filed a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of Aliyah Jaico's family, naming DoubleTree by Hilton Houston Brookhollow, Unique Crown Hospitality LLC, and Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. as defendants.

The lawsuit alleges gross negligence by the Texas hotel, seeking damages of over $1 million and a jury trial, Click2Houston noted.

Jaico's family claims they were denied access to security footage after her disappearance, prompting a search involving Texas EquuSearch and police.

A review of the footage revealed that a Texas girl was submerged underwater.

Subsequent efforts to drain the pool led to the discovery of Jaico's body wedged in the malfunctioning equipment.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Ross Key

WATCH: 8-year-old drowned, sucked into Double Tree hotel pool pipe in Houston: officials - From Fox 26 Houston