A young child, aged five, fell approximately 50 feet from a Disney Cruise ship after being positioned in front of an open porthole for a photo opportunity, as stated by authorities. The incident occurred while the child, accompanied by her parents, was onboard the Disney Dream cruise ship. The girl accidentally lost her balance near the porthole and fell into the sea, with her father jumping in to rescue her within 45 seconds.
Contrary to false rumors suggesting the father had lifted the girl onto the railing for a photo, Florida authorities have clarified that the mother had asked the girl to pose next to the railing, leading to the unfortunate fall. Emergency response was swift, with a distress call issued and a rescue boat dispatched within three minutes of the incident.
Fortunately, the girl sustained no major injuries, while her father received medical attention for an unspecified concern. Although initial criminal charges were recommended against the mother, the incident was deemed not to constitute “criminal culpable negligence,” resulting in the decision by Florida’s state attorney not to pursue prosecution.
State attorney Melissa Kelly, in a statement dated September 16, expressed that while the mother’s actions were potentially negligent and irresponsible, they did not meet the threshold for criminal negligence. Following questioning by Broward County sheriff, where the parents’ accounts aligned with security camera footage, the case was closed.
Allegedly, the mother disclosed to the police that she had taken several photos of her daughter near the ship’s railings during the trip. She shared a picture of the girl near a porthole with a window, expressing concerns about the lack of coverings on the windows and attributing responsibility to Disney for the incident.
The Mirror has reached out to Disney Cruises for their response on the matter.