Girl Who Fell from Disney Cruise Ship Was Allegedly Encouraged by Mom to Take Photo in Open Porthole: Police

A 5-year-old girl who fell from the Disney Dream cruise ship was posing for a photo in an open porthole when she lost her balance and went overboard, according to a newly released police report from Florida’s Broward County Sheriff’s Office.

On Sunday, June 29, the child fell into the ocean while the ship was returning to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, from a four-night cruise. Her father immediately jumped in after her, and both were rescued within minutes by the ship’s crew and brought back onboard.

According to the report, the family had been walking along the ship’s fourth deck when they stopped to take pictures of their daughter. The mother “pointed to the porthole railing,” the report says, and the girl climbed up and sat down. Moments later, she lost her balance and fell backward into the water — approximately 49 feet below — at 11:29 a.m.

Less than a minute later, her father jumped in after her. Rescue crews launched their boats at 11:40 a.m. and successfully pulled both back onboard by 11:49. Ten minutes later, they were taken to the ship’s medical center for treatment.

The father was later transported to Broward Health Medical Center for his injuries, while the young girl was found to be uninjured.

In interviews with investigators, the father said it was their family’s first cruise. He had been walking slightly ahead and didn’t see his daughter fall — only hearing his wife’s “desperate” scream for help.

During questioning, the mother shared photos she had taken before and during the fall. Investigators noted that the “live” images, when viewed together, formed a short video sequence showing the child climbing onto the railing and then falling backward into the ocean.

The mother told police her daughter had taken swim lessons before but could not swim and added that she believed Disney should have “coverings on the windows.”

A Disney representative said at the time that both passengers were safely rescued and praised the crew “for their exceptional skills and prompt actions, which ensured the safe return of both guests to the ship within minutes.”

Detective Christopher Favitta, who examined the scene, reported that the railing measured 47 inches high and the window was “open to the air and did not have a covering.” He referred the case to the Broward County State Attorney’s Office for review.

In a Sept. 16 email included in the report, Assistant State Attorney Melissa Kelly declined to pursue charges, writing, “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. Therefore, in light of the facts of this case along with the relevant case law, I am declining one count of child neglect without great bodily harm.”