A man who died over the weekend after a tubing accident in Livingston Parish has been identified as Keith Hilliard, the father of LSU pitcher Ma'Khail Hillard.
Keith Hilliard, 53 years old from Baton Rouge, went underwater shortly after launching Saturday from Tiki Tubing on Saturday, a water park in Denham Springs, according to Livingston Parish Sheriff Jason Ard.
Police responded to a call at Hancock Lane in Denham Springs. Witnesses said Keith had dropped an item and "hopped off the tube" to retrieve it, but did not resurface. His body was later located but attempts to revive him were unsuccessful.
Steve Hillard was identified as the father of Ma'Khail by an LSU spokesperson, according to a report from The Advocate.
Ma'Khail Hillard was a senior pitcher for LSU this past season, starting multiple games in their postseason run to the Super Regionals in Tennessee. He posted an image of his father to Instagram Monday afternoon with the caption "happy fathers day everyday (sic)."
Tiki Tubing operates 4-hour tubing trips down the Amite River. An FAQ on the company website indicates that life jackets are provided "if you desire one," but are not required. Tubers are required to sign a liability waiver, according to the company site, before participating in a trip.
Emergency officials in the area had expressed safety concerns about the tubing trips earlier in June, with as many as eight rescues of tubers required throughout the summer of 2020.
Keith Hilliard's cause of death had not been determined as of Monday, the sheriff said.
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Note: This story has been edited to correct the age of the victim