The mother of a five-year-old girl who went overboard from a Disney Cruise Line ship won’t face criminal charges.
Assistant State Attorney Melissa Kelly said the state has decided not to press charges.
Kelly acknowledged the woman’s actions were “arguably negligent and irresponsible” but didn’t deem it a serious offense worthy of criminal child negligence.
Child Went Overboard While Posing for a Photo
The young girl fell overboard from the fourth deck after her mother ushered her over to a port hole railing to take a photo.
The girl sat there but lost her balance and went overboard, falling about 50 feet into the water. Her father jumped in after her. He was able to grab her and they tread water for about 20 minutes while a small boat was deployed.
The cruise line praised its crew at the time for their “exceptional skills and prompt actions, which ensured the safe return of both guests to the ship within minutes.”
“The father noted difficulty locating his daughter in the water and admitted losing visual contact temporarily. He was eventually able to reach her and tread water with her until they were rescued,” the Broward County Sheriff’s Office police report stated.
The June incident aboard the Disney Dream was captured on video and went viral. It garnered some intense online commentary with divided opinions over the actions of the parents. It happened as the ship was between Florida and the Bahamas.
The father and daughter were initially treated at the ship’s medical center and then transported to Broward Health Medical Center. Both were treated for hypothermia, and the dad also suffered two spinal fractures.
Assistant State Attorney Kelly said the mother mistakenly believed there was a barrier on the deck railing and didn’t knowingly put her daughter in danger.
