Woman’s Drowning in Jacuzzi Probably Accidental, Police Say

LAGUNA BEACH —  A Beverly Hills modeling consultant died of an apparent accidental drowning in a Jacuzzi early Monday, police said.

Benay A. Kluff, 35, a talent agent for Faces International Inc., was found in the bathroom of a Sea Cliff Drive home she was visiting in South Laguna, Police Sgt. Ray Lardie said.

“She fell while she was in there alone and ended up drowning,” Lardie said. He said the victim had bruises on her back and other parts of her body, leading police to believe that her death was accidental.

“There does not appear to be foul play at this time,” he said.

Police believe that Kluff entered the 2 1/2-foot-deep tub around 3 a.m., about 90 minutes before officers were summoned to the house.

The resident of the house was asleep in a bedroom when the drowning occurred, Lardie said.

Peter Souza, executive consultant for the modeling agency, said Kluff had worked in the fashion industry for retail shops in Beverly Hills before joining Faces International just over a year ago.

“She helped new talent and gave them instructions in terms of where they should get their photos done and things like that,” Souza said, adding that some of her clients do commercials but are not necessarily “household names.”