The grandfather who dropped a 1-year-old girl, leading to her death, could face criminal charges, police indicated.
Salvatore Anello was holding his granddaughter, identified as Chloe Wiegand, when she slipped out of his hands, plummeting 11 stories to her death.
There were conflicting reports as to the exact setting on the Royal Caribbean cruise ship, which was docked in Puerto Rico. One description had Anello holding her out of an open window before she slipped from his grasp, while another had her perching on the window sill before his grip faltered.
South Bend Police Chief Scott Ruszkowski told WSBT that the grandfather and girl were on a balcony, disputing reports that stated the grandfather was holding the girl out of a window. The girl’s father, Alan Wiegand, is a police officer in the Indiana city.
Parents of a toddler are looking for answers after their daughter fell to her death through an open window in a children’s play area on a cruise ship docked in Puerto Rico. https://t.co/NK4P30eQeF
— NBC News (@NBCNews) July 9, 2019
Puerto Rico Ports Authority spokesman José Carmona, on the other hand, told the Associated Press that the grandfather sat the little girl on the edge of a window before she fell to her death.
Depending on what authorities uncover, Anello could face charges, Police Sgt. Nelson Sotelo indicated to the outlet.
Sotelo said that the family of the child that was on the ship—which included her parents and all four grandparents—would remain in the U.S. territory until the investigation was completed.
Sotelo said that Anello is under investigation. No other updates pertaining to the probe appeared available.
PICTURED: Toddler who fell 150ft to her death after slipping from grandfather’s arms on 11th deck of a Royal Caribbean cruise ship https://t.co/VX1XVsGu76
— Daily Mail US (@DailyMail) July 8, 2019
Pictures published by the Daily Mail showed both the deceased toddler and the grandfather that was holding her.
According to Royal Caribbean, the “Freedom of the Seas” ship, which sails from San Juan, Puerto Rico, is “a long-standing favorite among cruise enthusiasts.”
Tickets for seven-night cruises range from $530 to $1,762, according to the company’s website. All of the trips feature stops in the Caribbean.
Family Speaks Out
The toddler’s family said that the real story was that the grandfather put the girl on a ledge near a window in an area for children unaware that the window was open.
“Essentially her grandfather lifts her up and puts her on a railing and where he thinks that there is glass there because it’s clear, but it turns out there was no glass there,” Michael Winkleman, a Miami-based attorney hired by Chloe’s family, told the “Today” show.
“She goes to bang on the glass like she would have at one of those hockey rinks, and the next thing you know, she’s gone.”
He said the blame for the death sits squarely with the cruise ship company.
“Why in the world would you leave a window open in an entire glass wall full of windows in a kid’s area?” he said. “I mean, why would you have that kind of a hidden danger without any warning, without any sign, without any notice?”
“I do think there is going to be blame and significant blame on the cruise line, and I will do everything I can to hold them accountable, for what appears to me to be negligence,” Winkleman added.
In a statement, Royal Caribbean said it was “deeply saddened” by the death, adding: “Our hearts go out to the family.”