A New York man was found dead Wednesday in the bathtub of a successful businessman known for developing the city's first gay hotel.
Sean Verdi, 23, was found unconscious in the bathtub of a sprawling Manhattan apartment belonging to hotel magnate Ian Reisner, 45, the New York Post reported. The young man was rushed to St. Luke's Hospital at around 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, but was pronounced dead.
The cause of death is an apparent drug overdose. At this time, police do not believe foul play was involved. No drugs were found inside the 4,000-square-foot apartment on Central Park South, according to the New York Daily News.
However, a friend who was with Verdi and Reisner claims the victim took cocaine and molly, an unnamed police source told the Daily News. Verdi then had a reaction and Reisner and a friend placed him in the bathtub in an effort to revive him, the victim's father, Steven Colandrea, told the Daily News of what police told him.
Reisner called 911 for help. He was not immediately available for comment, the Daily News reported.
According to Colandrea, his son met Reisner where he worked at the Bar-Tini Ultra Lounge in Manhattan. But that still doesn't explain how his son, who just graduated from the Stevens Institute of Technology, ended up at the older man's apartment.
"What was Sean doing in the bathtub?" the heartbroken father told the Daily News.
Reisner is known for creating the city's first gay hotel, Out NYC, in 2012. He also co-founded Parkview Developers in 2003, known for establishing stylish apartments and hotels, according to the NY Post.
In May 2013, Reisner was charged with driving while ability impaired after sideswiping a parked car on Long Island. He was released on bail, and it is not clear if the case was settled.
