Tragedy in Riyadh: Toddler son of Saudi Snapchat influencers drowns in swimming pool

Dubai:  A 17-month-old boy, the son of prominent Saudi Snapchat influencers Yosha Abdulaziz and Musa bin Turki, drowned in a swimming pool in Riyadh on Friday evening, in a tragedy that has stunned the kingdom.

In a sombre announcement, his father confirmed the news. “To God we belong and to Him we return. God has taken what is His and given what is His, and everything with Him has an appointed time,” bin Turki wrote in a post on Snapchat, adding: “My son Assaf has passed away. I ask God to make him a source of intercession for his parents, a bird of paradise, and to heal our hearts in a way that astonishes the heavens and the earth.”

Funeral prayers were held Saturday afternoon at Al Rajhi Mosque in Riyadh, followed by burial at Al Nasim cemetery. The family is receiving condolences at their home in the Al Qairawan neighbourhood, bin Turki said.

Reports widely shared online indicated the tragedy occurred at the home of Abdulaziz’s sister, when Assaf fell into a swimming pool during a family visit. Despite urgent efforts to revive him, the child could not be saved.

The news sparked a torrent of grief on Saudi social media, where the names of Assaf and his parents quickly trended. Thousands of users posted tributes, prayers, and messages of condolence, many recalling how they had followed the child’s life since birth through his parents’ Snapchat accounts.

Yosha Abdulaziz, who has nearly 1.3 million followers, shared a brief message on Snapchat after the tragedy, expressing her acceptance of God’s will and asking for prayers for her family.

She married, Musa bin Turki, in November 2021. Their son, born in April 2024, quickly became a familiar face to their followers, who watched his milestones unfold online. His sudden death at such a young age left many expressing sorrow not only for the parents’ loss but for the bond they had come to share with the child through the family’s daily posts.