Husband Charged In Wife's Hot Tub Death Accused Of Shutting Lid

CHICAGO — A Wheeling man has been arrested in connection with the drowning of his wife in a hot tub at their home. Police said he was recorded on video closing the lid of the tub and leaving her trapped inside.

Police and paramedics were called to a home in the area of Dundee and Elmhurst roads around 6:45 p.m., where they found 57-year-old Laura Huska unconscious in a backyard outdoor hot tub, according to Wheeling police.

She was taken to Glenbrook Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 7:44 p.m. The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office ruled her death a homicide caused by drowning "due to entrapment in a hot tub."

Eric Huska, 58, the 300 block of Merion Court, was charged with involuntary manslaughter in her death.

Investigators obtained an outdoor surveillance video recording of the incident, according to Deputy Chief Todd Wolff. The video shows Mrs. Huska was distressed and unable get out of the tub. Alcohol is believed to have played a role in the incident, police said.

Mr. Huska initially attempted to help his wife out of the tub, according to Wolff. But the video shows he then partially closed the lid of the tub while she remained inside.

After closing the lid, Mr. Huska went back into his home. Wolf said he remained inside for more than 90 minutes before returning to the back yard to find his wife floating and unresponsive inside the closed hot tub.

Mr. Huska appeared in court Tuesday in Chicago. He was ordered held in lieu of a $1,000 cash portion of his bond ahead of his next court appearance Thursday.