Man allegedly shut hot tub lid on wife, drowning her

A suburban Chicago man has been charged with involuntary manslaughter after his wife drowned in the couple's backyard hot tub over the weekend.

Eric Huska, 58, was arrested on Saturday night after the death of his wife, 57-year-old Laura Huska, was ruled a "homicide caused by drowning from entrapment," the Chicago Tribune reports.

The couple had spent Saturday afternoon drinking in their backyard and authorities say alcohol played a major role in Laura's death.

"It's a tragic incident," Wheeling Police Deputy Chief Todd Wolff told the Tribune."Alcohol and hot tubs don’t mix."

Photo: Wheeling Police Department

Home security footage obtained by investigators shows the couple drinking in the hot tub for a while before Laura unsuccessfully attempts to get out, according to the Associated Press. Huska can be seen initially trying to help his struggling wife before partially shutting the tub's lid and going inside the house. The victim then continued to struggle against the cover of the hot tub by herself.

Huska allegedly returned to the tub about 90 minutes later, opening the lid to find his wife "floating unresponsive inside the closed hot tub," according to a police statement. The panicked husband called 911 at 6:45 p.m.

First responders attempted to resuscitate Laura before rushing her to nearby Glenbrook Hospital where she was pronounced dead.

The suspect was released from jail on a $10,000 bond following his arrest, the Chicago Tribune reports. He is scheduled to appear in court on Thursday.

Huska's attorney, Steven J. Weinberg, called the situation "tragic," and added that his client "loved his wife and he's heartbroken."