Vacation Turns Tragic After Stepfather Drowns Toddler In Pool While Mom Sleeps [Graphic Video]

A man has been arrested for the drowning death of a 3-year-old toddler after he repeatedly threw her into a hotel pool while her mother slept.

Security footage obtained by Quadratin News shows the 3-year-old toddler frantically flail about, trying to keep her head above water and grow weaker each time she was flung into the pool by her stepfather.

Warning the video is emotional and traumatic.

The child’s mother took a nap while the couple stayed at a popular hotel in Morelia, Mexico. While she was asleep, the man took his stepdaughter swimming in the communal pool, but the incident quickly turned to tragedy when he started holding the girl under the water.

The security footage shows the man holding his stepdaughter under the water for several seconds despite the presence of nearby guests.

Then, the man begins flinging the small child into the pool with no regard for her furious struggle to stay afloat. Every time her small body hit the water, the toddler struggled frantically, but she grew weaker every time.

He tossed her into the pool over and over again.

At one point, the man jumps into the pool after tossing the toddler in and stands near her while she struggles to keep her head above water.

Toddler drowns after 'stepfather' repeatedly throws her into hotel swimming pool http://t.co/pSMJRmW4ch

— The Mirror (@DailyMirror) August 26, 2015

Finally, she lost the struggle to stay afloat and stopped breathing, which is when she was taken to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead.

An autopsy showed the toddler died August 12 from secondary drowning, according to the Mirror.

The man was charged with homicide and is in jail in the Mexican State of Michoacan awaiting trial.

Studies show children whose parents live with a new partner are 10 times more likely to be abused.

Experts argue these surrogate fathers may not be as emotionally invested with the children as men who are biologically related to their children. They may also use violence as a way to enforce the rules.

In May, a 20-year-old Pennsylvania man was charged with involuntary manslaughter after he killed his girlfriend’s toddler while performing fake wrestling moves.

While the mother was at work, Brandon Hoffman started throwing the 18-month-old boy onto the bed using wrestling moves performed on World Wrestling Entertainment.

Anyone involved or with knowledge of a domestic abuse situation is urged to call authorities. The national domestic abuse hotline is 1-800-799-7233.

[Photo by Ed Giles/Getty Images]