IL - Laura Huska, 57, drowned in hot tub, husband charged, Wheeling, Cook County, 9 Feb 2019

[cybervampira]

Illinois Man Accused Of Closing Hot Tub Lid On Drunk Wife, Leaving Her To Die

A suburban Chicago man has been charged with involuntary manslaughter in the hot tub drowning death of his wife.

Eric Huska of Wheeling, Illinois is accused of closing the lid of a backyard hot tub, causing the death of Laura Huska late last Saturday.

According to Wheeling police, home security video shows the couple drinking in the hot tub for some time before the 57-year-old victim unsuccessfully tried to get out. It also shows the 57-year-old Eric Huska initially trying to help his wife, but then partially closing the tub's lid.

Deputy Chief Todd Wolff says the wife is seen in the video struggling against the cover.

"For whatever reason he put the cover over her head," Wheeling Deputy Chief Todd Wolff told the Daily Herald. "We are sure alcohol was a major factor."

Eric allegedly returned to the hot tub about 90 minutes later and found his wife’s body floating in the water. He called 911 about 6:45 p.m. and paramedics arrived and took Laura to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Wheeling man charged in wife's hot tub death; police say he closed lid on her

Husband is charged in wife's hot tub drowning death | Daily Mail Online

Illinois man killed wife in hot tub after night of drinking, police say

Eric Huska: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

I was just reading bout this over at DM. What a horrible way to die....I can’t even imagine, nor do I want to. Glad he was caught on camera. Poor woman.

 

[DebW]

Horrible.

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

I wonder what his motive was. Was it just because he was drunk/had been drinking? I mean, wtf? out of the blue he just drowns her? I wonder what was going on that we’re not aware of yet.

 

[scriabina]

How do you "partially close" the lid?

 

[beatrixpotter]

This one is weird. Why would he do something that might or might not result in death?

If he was just so freaking drunk he had no idea what he was doing and partially closed a lid on a hot tub is that actually involuntary manslaughter?

 

[Elisaa444]

How do you "partially close" the lid?

Yeah not getting that.

 

[mickey2942]

"We are sure that alcohol is involved". Nooooo...really?! I better not be on the jury, I can't remember the last time a man put the lid on the hot tub when his wife was there to do it. Just sayin'.

 

[Pi Thoughts]

Just a cynical thought, Laura’s elderly mum passed a week prior. Was there an inheritance, a large inheritance left to Laura? MOO

According to her now deleted LinkedIn profile, Laura Huska worked as an IT manager for a private firm.
Adding to the tragedy, recent social media posts reveal she and her siblings had lost their elderly mother just a week before the hot tub incident.
Husband kills wife in hot tub

 

[Deleted member 158085]

How is this involuntary manslaughter? Really?

 

[MistyWaters]

How do you "partially close" the lid?

Not saying this is what happened but.... in the photo on the first post I notice the husband, holding a beer in his hand, and the hot tub shown has a foam insulated lid that appears to fold in the middle, in half, often referred to as a bi-fold lid. The lids aren’t heavy as they are merely lifted off in order to access the hot tub or I suppose they could be left on, one half flipped up, half open.

It’s a tragedy that this woman drowned however it’s not clear what actually caused her death - if it was due to sitting in the hot tub too long or the hot tub cover being closed or the alcohol or a combination of all three. Just my opinion but unless the cover was tied shut or weighted down, I can’t see how that resulted in her death unless she was too inebriated to stand up.

 

[scriabina]

Not saying this is what happened but.... in the photo on the first post I notice the husband, holding a beer in his hand, and the hot tub shown has a foam insulated lid that appears to fold in the middle, in half, often referred to as a bi-fold lid. The lids aren’t heavy as they are merely lifted off in order to access the hot tub or I suppose they could be left on, one half flipped up, half open.

It’s a tragedy that this woman drowned however it’s not clear what actually caused her death - if it was due to sitting in the hot tub too long or the hot tub cover being closed or the alcohol or a combination of all three. Just my opinion but unless the cover was tied shut or weighted down, I can’t see how that resulted in her death unless she was too inebriated to stand up.

Yes, I did wonder why it would be that hard to open the lid, but the article stated "Deputy Chief Todd Wolff says the wife is seen in the video struggling against the cover." Aren't there some covers that are easy to open from the outside but when closed the suction is such that it's very difficult to open from the underside? I don't know about this specific hot tub...

 

[JDG]

She couldn't get out of the hot tub when it was open. He was seen trying to help her out before he closed the lid.

I think they were both far too drunk and she might well have had a medical 'issue' in the hot tub.

 

[cybervampira]

Yes, I did wonder why it would be that hard to open the lid, but the article stated "Deputy Chief Todd Wolff says the wife is seen in the video struggling against the cover." Aren't there some covers that are easy to open from the outside but when closed the suction is such that it's very difficult to open from the underside? I don't know about this specific hot tub...

The Oxygen article also states

“She wasn’t in any condition to get out on her own, and she would’ve had to lift the lid to get out,” Wolff said, according to CBS Chicago. “Initially he closed it down on top her head — she couldn’t get out.”

It sounds to me that she was too drunk to lift the lid or even to get out on her own if the lid was not closed.

 

[MistyWaters]

She couldn't get out of the hot tub when it was open. He was seen trying to help her out before he closed the lid.

I think they were both far too drunk and she might well have had a medical 'issue' in the hot tub.

Yes that’s what I was wondering too. I also noticed the article mentioned home security video showing the two had been in the hot tub for “some time”, which could’ve caused a medical issue in addition to the alcohol.

“Sitting in hot water for a long time can cause severe heat-related illnesses, such as nausea, dizziness or fainting, and even death. Avoid staying in the hot tub for more than 10 minutes at one time. Have a clock visible nearby to keep track of time.”
Residential Hot Tubs and Pools: Health and Safety Tips