Florida Authorities Decide Against Charging Mother After Child’s Fall from Disney Cruise

The State of Florida has opted not to press charges against the mother of a young girl who fell from a Disney cruise ship, following investigative conclusions.

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Incident Overview

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On June 29, an unsettling incident unfolded aboard the Disney Dream cruise ship, heading back to Fort Lauderdale after a Bahamian sojourn. A five-year-old girl fell overboard, plunging 49 feet into the ocean. Her father heroically leapt after her, and both were swiftly rescued by Disney’s alert crew, ensuring their safe return to the ship.

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Details from the Police Report

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According to a Broward County Sheriff’s Office report, obtained by PEOPLE, the child’s mother had encouraged the girl to pose for a photo through an open porthole. The report noted, \\”The mom allegedly pointed to the port hole railing and the daughter climbed on the railing and sat down. The daughter lost her balance and fell backward off the railing into the ocean.\\”

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Both victims were attended to by onboard medics. The girl suffered mild hypothermia and minor lactic acidosis, requiring nine hours in the ship’s medical center. Her father incurred two spinal fractures and was treated for lactic acid buildup at Broward Health Medical Center.

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Mother’s Perspective

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The mother believed there was a protective barrier behind the railing, stated detective Christopher Favitta. She contended, “She felt like there should be covering on the windows and cited that Disney is responsible for what had occurred.”

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Legal Decision

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After reviewing the case, assistant state attorney Melissa Kelly declined to charge the mother. She explained, \\”While the defendant’s conduct is arguably negligent and irresponsible, it does not rise to the egregious level of conduct necessary to establish criminal culpable negligence.\\” Kelly emphasized the incident as accidental, reflecting a lack of \\”culpable negligence or utter disregard for the safety of her child.\\”

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Kelly reiterated, “Parents and caregivers of children are not held to a standard of perfection under the law.\\” Thus, the legal standard for charging someone with child neglect wasn’t satisfied in this instance.

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Disney’s Response

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Following the incident, a Disney spokesperson praised the crew’s rapid and proficient actions that resulted in the swift rescue of both passengers. At the time, Disney had not provided further comment on the matter to PEOPLE.

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Reporting based on the original article; quotes reproduced verbatim.