A 5-year-old girl fell approximately 50 feet into the ocean from a Disney cruise ship shortly after her mother asked her to pose by an open porthole, as reported by Florida authorities.
This incident occurred at 11:29 a.m. on June 29, when the child, standing near the porthole of the Disney Dream, lost her balance and fell. Her father dove in after her about 45 seconds later, earning praise for his bravery, although there were rumors suggesting he had lifted her over the railing for a photo before she slipped.
However, authorities have indicated that it was actually the girl’s mother who encouraged her to climb onto the railing.
Although there were recommendations for criminal charges against the mother, prosecutors decided not to pursue them, determining that the situation did not amount to “criminal negligence,” as reported.
The parents provided consistent statements that matched surveillance footage during questioning by Broward County sheriff’s deputies.
According to the police report, the family was on deck four when the mother pointed to the porthole and asked her child to take a picture. The report stated that the mother mistakenly believed there was some sort of cover over the porthole, thinking her daughter would bump into glass instead of falling.
Throughout the trip, the mother had taken several photos of her daughter on the ship’s railing, and when the fall happened, she was reportedly capturing multiple images as part of a sequence. Eyewitnesses noted that seconds before the fall, video showed the child standing on the railing and falling backward into the water.
After the incident, the mother expressed concern, stating she thought the portholes should have been covered and placed some blame on Disney for the occurrence. Detectives, however, dismissed her claims after evaluating the ship.
Detective Christopher Favitta commented in the report that he immediately recognized the porthole was open and highlighted that the mother’s actions had endangered her child’s life, leading to the unfortunate fall.
The father was approximately 10 feet ahead and didn’t see the fall happen, but he turned around to see his daughter in the ocean. Initially, he ran for help but ultimately jumped in after about 45 seconds, as the mother reportedly yelled for help while trying to keep track of both her husband and daughter as the ship circled.
The ship was on its way back to Florida from the Bahamas when the incident took place. Although the father lost sight of his daughter, he was guided by her screams until he reached her, and a mayday call was made. A rescue boat was dispatched, arriving just three minutes after the fall.
Both father and daughter were rescued by 11:50 a.m. The girl was evaluated in the ship’s medical bay before being taken to Broward Health Medical Center, while her father received treatment for an undisclosed ailment.
While the father was initially lauded for his actions, unverified rumors regarding his involvement in his daughter’s fall led to authorities clarifying his lack of responsibility. Ultimately, despite the detective’s recommendations, the Broward County State’s Attorney’s Office decided not to press charges against the mother, noting her actions, while negligent, did not reach the threshold for criminal negligence.
