cruise ship accident child

Grandfather pleads guilty in toddler's death in cruise ship fall

The grandfather of an 18-month-old girl who fell to her death from the open window of a Royal Caribbean cruise ship last year pleaded guilty Thursday to negligent homicide.

The ship had been docked in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in July 2019, when the toddler, Chloe Wiegand, fell through an 11-story window while she was in the care of her grandfather, Salvatore Anello.

Anello, also known as Sam, was charged in October 2019 by Puerto Rican authorities and initially pleaded not guilty. In February, he said that he was going to plead guilty so his family could begin to move on from the tragedy.

The Puerto Rico Department of Justice said in a statement Thursday that a judge accepted Anello's plea. He will be sentenced Dec. 10.

Michael Winkleman, an attorney for the Wiegand family, said Thursday that the plea deal means that Anello, who lives in South Bend, Indiana, avoids jail time and can serve probation in his home state.

He said the decision to change the plea was "incredibly difficult" for Anello and the family.

"But because the plea agreement includes no jail time and no admission of facts, it was decided the plea deal is in the best interests of the family so that they can close this horrible chapter and turn their focus to mourning Chloe and fighting for cruise passenger safety by raising awareness about the need for all common carriers to adhere to window fall prevention laws designed to protect children from falling from windows," the lawyer said in a statement.

Chloe was with her mother in a children's water park area on the pool's 11th deck. Her mother had to tend to another matter and asked Anello to watch her, according to a lawsuit the family filed in December 2019 against Royal Caribbean Cruises.

The family alleges that the cruise ship company is at fault for Chloe's death, a claim the company has strongly denied . Royal Caribbean did not immediately return a request for comment Thursday.

In a July 2019 interview on " TODAY ," Chloe's mother, Kimberly Wiegand, said the cruise line was to blame "for not having a safer situation" on the 11th-floor pool deck.

"There are a million things that could've been done to make that safer," she said. "I know my mom was asking people, 'Why on earth is there a window open on the 11th floor without a screen or anything?'"

The lawsuit said that Anello was "closely supervising" his granddaughter "when Chloe walked over to a nearby wall of glass." Anello followed and put the girl up to the window so she could bang on the glass but she slipped from his hands and fell through the open window.

The lawsuit against the cruise company is ongoing, Winkleman said Thursday, adding that discovery and evidence confirm "this was a tragic, preventable accident" and there were no grounds to bring charges against the grandfather.

Anello has repeatedly said that he did not know the window was open. In an interview last year with CBS, he said that was colorblind and suggested that may have been why he couldn't distinguish between the tinted closed windows and the open window.

But the company has countered that the grandfather "unquestionably" knew the window was open .

In a January court filing responding to the lawsuit, the cruise line included a series of still images that it said were taken from security video and show that Anello knew the window was open before holding his granddaughter up to it.

"When he arrives at the open window, and while Chloe is on the floor, Mr. Anello leans his upper-torso over the wooden railing and out of the window frame for approximately eight seconds," the company said in the court filing. "Because Mr. Anello had himself leaned out the window, he was well aware that the window is open."

Winkleman said the pictures were "misleading."

Minyvonne Burke is a senior breaking news reporter for NBC News.

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Family of Toddler Who Died from Fall Off Cruise Ship Speaks Out: 'We Have to Go on for Her'

"To lose our baby this way is just unfathomable," Chloe Wiegand's mom, Kimberly, told Today through tears of her toddler daughter who died after the fall

The parents of Chloe Wiegand are speaking out in their first interview since the 18-month-old fell to her death from a docked cruise ship earlier this month.

Opening up on the Today show Monday in an emotional conversation with Savannah Guthrie , Alan and Kimberly Wiegand recalled the traumatic scene following the accident, when Chloe’s grandfather Sam placed her on a railing near a window that he believed to be a closed part of a glass wall.

“He was extremely hysterical. The thing that he has repeatedly told us is, ‘I believed that there was glass,’ ” she told Guthrie, 47. “He will cry over and over and over. At no point ever — ever — has Sam ever put our kids in danger.”

Alan said that Sam is “very distraught,” to the point where you can “barely look at him without him crying.”

“[Chloe] was his best friend,” he added, visibly emotional.

While in the children’s play area of the Royal Caribbean cruise ship, Chloe tragically died after she fell more than 10 stories onto a concrete dock in Puerto Rico. Chloe was used to being next to glass, having a habit of banging on the panels at the hockey rink at home while attending her brother’s games and practices.

“When they told me Chloe had died, I didn’t know that she went out a window ,” Kimberly told Guthrie through tears. “I just saw Sam standing next to the wall of windows by the kids’ splash pad, screaming and banging on it.”

“There was someone from Royal Caribbean who kept trying to stop me,” she continued. “And I just kept saying, ‘Take me to my baby. Where’s my baby? Take me to my baby.’ I didn’t even notice a window. I ran over there, and I looked over … and it wasn’t water down there, it was concrete.”

“To lose our baby this way is just unfathomable ,” Kimberly said, adding later in the interview, “This one mother just came and held me and embraced me and I’ll never forget it. She just said, ‘God, watch over this family.’ I just want to thank her. I don’t know where she is or who she is.”

RELATED VIDEO: Family in “Shock” After Baby Apparently Slips from Grandfather’s Hands and Falls from Cruise Ship

In a previous statement to PEOPLE , a spokesperson for Royal Caribbean said they are “deeply saddened” by the incident, adding, “We’ve made our Care Team available to assist the family with any resources they need. Out of respect for their privacy, we do not plan to comment further on the incident.”

A spokesperson also previously told NBC News that the cruise line was cooperating with local authorities in the investigation.

Kimberly told Guthrie on Monday that she thinks Royal Caribbean “[has] to be” responsible for the incident, adding, “This cannot happen to another family.”

“We obviously blame them,” she said. “There are a million things that could’ve been done to make that safer. I know my mom was asking people, ‘Why on Earth is there a window open on the 11th floor without a screen or anything?’ ”

“And their response to that was, ‘We need ventilation,’ ” Kimberly claimed. “Well, to that I would say, ‘Get a fan. Come up with some other mechanism to make your guests comfortable, rather than creating a tremendous safety hazard that cost our child her life.’ ”

Kimberly “never [wants] another mother to have to experience this or to see what I had to see” in regard to the accident (“to scream how I had to scream”), or in seeing her son wish he had been there to save his sister.

But she and her husband are remembering their baby girl’s “light” and her ability to make anyone crack a smile.

As Alan explained to Guthrie of Chloe , “We’ll never forget her. She’s part of our soul that’s not there anymore.”

“It’s really easy to shut out the world and to give up, but we will not do that because that’s not who Chloe was,” Kimberly adds. “We have to go on for her. We can’t give up.”

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Grandfather who dropped 1-year-old girl from cruise ship in apparent accident could face charges

July 9, 2019 / 7:22 AM EDT / CBS News

An investigation is underway into the death of an Indiana toddler who fell from a Royal Caribbean cruise ship in Puerto Rico in what appears to have been a tragic accident. The 1-year-old girl's grandfather apparently lost his grip while holding her near a window on the ship.

Puerto Rican safety officials tell a local newspaper that detectives are gathering evidence and trying to determine whether to file negligence charges against the grandfather who has been identified as Salvatore Anello, an IT worker in South Bend, Indiana. Anello's boss told CBS affiliate WSBT he is a model employee.

"People just love him here in the county," Mike Hamann said. "He's a very selfless man, he's got a servant's heart, as we say. And just one of the most wonderful human beings that you could ever meet."

The toddler was aboard the ship with her two siblings, parents and four grandparents. The South Bend police department says one of its officers, Alan Wiegand, is the child's father. In a statement, the department said it offers its "sincerest condolences" to the officer, and asked the community to pray for the family.

Falling off a cruise ship is very rare. It's estimated that over 28 million people went on a cruise last year. According to a website that tracks people falling off them, since 2000, only around 340 people have gone overboard.

A spokesperson for Royal Caribbean told CBS News it's deeply saddened by the "tragic accident" and its "heart goes out to the family." 

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16-year-old dies in fall aboard Royal Caribbean cruise ship that set sail from Florida: report

Allure of the seas departed port canaveral for the bahamas.

PORT CANAVERAL, Fla. – A 16-year-old died after falling from a balcony to the deck of a Royal Caribbean cruise ship that set sail from Port Canaveral, according to TMZ.com .

The teen fell Saturday aboard Allure of the Seas, which left the port on Friday and traveled to the Bahamas before returning to Florida on Monday.

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News 6 spoke with a passenger aboard the ship, who said the cruise line made an announcement urging passengers to donate blood.

TMZ reported that the boy died at a hospital.

“We are saddened to learn of the passing of a guest, and our hearts go out to the family. Out of respect for them, we won’t provide any further comment,” Royal Caribbean said in a statement.

TMZ posted photos of yellow caution tape across a balcony on the ship.

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Coast Guard Suspends Search for Passenger Who Fell From Cruise Ship

The U.S. Coast Guard said on Sunday that it halted its search for a woman who went overboard from a Carnival cruise ship near Ensenada, Mexico.

By Johnny Diaz

The U.S. Coast Guard suspended a 31-hour search for a passenger who fell off a cruise ship near Mexico, the authorities said on Sunday.

The woman, who was not immediately identified, was aboard a Carnival cruise ship when she fell on Saturday morning “from the balcony of her stateroom,” Carnival Cruise Line said in a statement. The company said the ship had been on a three-day cruise to Ensenada, Mexico, and the Coast Guard said the woman fell near there.

Carnival did not provide further details of how the woman fell overboard.

On Saturday, the Coast Guard said that it had deployed a cutter called the Forrest Rednour as well as a helicopter, and that it was working with Mexico’s Navy to find the woman.

Crews started searching early in the morning on Saturday and into Sunday, the Coast Guard said. It led a search of about 520 square nautical miles, it said.

One passenger told a California news station, KABC-TV , that he heard someone say, “Man overboard, man overboard port side” on the ship’s speakers. He said that when he looked over the balcony of his room, he saw crew members tossing life preservers into the water.

Daniel Miranda, another passenger, told the station that cruise officials said that they had “verified through the cameras” that a woman had fallen into the water. A photo he took, broadcast by the station, also showed that the area of the ship where the woman fell had been cordoned off with blue tape.

After more than 31 hours scouring the area, the Coast Guard said on Sunday that it had suspended its search “pending additional information.”

The cruise company said in its statement that after assisting the Coast Guard, its ship had returned to Long Beach, Calif., as scheduled on Dec. 12. “Our thoughts are with the guest and her family, and our Care Team is providing support,” the company said.

In California, Federal Bureau of Investigation agents went to the ship “with an evidence response team” to assist in the case, a spokeswoman for the bureau said on Monday.

It is increasingly uncommon for passengers to fall from cruise ships, according to Carolyn Spencer Brown, who has covered the cruise industry for about 25 years, currently as chief content officer of Cruise Media LLC.

“It’s becoming much more uncommon than it was 20 years ago,” she said, citing the “increasingly sophisticated design specifications” that have prioritized safety on ships.

“They are designed to keep you safe,” she continued. “You really don’t hear about it very often, and when it happens, typically there are other factors involved.”

In 2010, Congress passed the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act , which required ships be equipped with rails no shorter than 42 inches above the deck, and with alarms and other technology to help signal and find passengers who go overboard.

In 2018 and 2019, 26 and 29 people fell overboard from cruise and ferry ships, according to Cruisejunkie.com , which lists cases reported by the news media, including those involving people who jumped. In 2020 and 2021, when far fewer passengers took cruises because of the pandemic, the site recorded three incidents.

Ross A. Klein, who tracks the cases of people who fall overboard on his website, Cruisejunkie.com, wrote in a June 2019 report that information on people who fall overboard is limited “as cases may not be publicly reported.”

Falls overboard could involve intoxication, accidents or deliberate jumps, Mr. Klein’s report said, but he warned there was reason to be cautious with labels because of the lack of information.

“Alcohol intoxication is known in only a small percentage of cases, largely because there is no systematic reporting of persons overboard, and no accounting of behavior prior to a disappearance (such as alcohol consumption),” the report said.

Asked about how many people have fallen overboard from Carnival ships in recent years, a spokeswoman for the company said she did not have any further information other than the statement about this weekend’s search.

The ship traveling to Ensenada this weekend, the Carnival Miracle, debuted in 2004 and can accommodate more than 2,100 guests and 934 crew members, according to the company.

Johnny Diaz is a general assignment reporter covering breaking news. He previously worked for the South Florida Sun Sentinel and The Boston Globe. More about Johnny Diaz

Why falling off a cruise ship is so deadly

A 35-year-old Australian man who fell overboard on his way back to Brisbane. A Louisiana teen who jumped ship on a dare. A 7-year-old boy who died after falling into the ocean, followed by his mother, who tried to save him.

Overboard incidents on cruise ships are incredibly rare. But when they happen, they usually end in death, experts say.

The Coast Guard said last week it had given up on its search for 30-year-old Jaylen Hill, who went overboard during a four-day Carnival Cruise trip from Florida to the Bahamas. It searched more than 1,300 square miles for him.

“We offer our deepest condolences to the Hill family,” the Coast Guard said on Twitter.

Hill was reported missing by a travel companion hours after he was last seen. Experts say such time gaps between a fall and the start of a search are a big part of why overboard incidents are so deadly.

Even if crew members are immediately aware of the incident, it takes the average ship at least a mile to turn around. The ship usually dispatches life boats and alerts authorities, such as the Coast Guard, which may not be close enough to assist, said Ross Klein, a cruise industry researcher and retired professor at Memorial University of Newfoundland. In many cases, ships are not aware that someone has gone overboard until a travel partner reports them missing, which could be hours or days later.

By then, it’s often too late.

“It’s a huge ocean. Just being found at all would be incredible,” Klein said. “The longer you are out there, whether you’re alive or not, the lower the possibility of being recovered. The vast majority of people are gone forever.”

Even in cases where a fall is noticed immediately, a lot can go wrong.

“The fall itself can kill you, a cruise ship engine can suck you underneath the water, fear and anxiety or intoxication could prevent you from swimming — there’s many different scenarios,” said Brett Rivkind, a Miami lawyer who specializes in maritime law and represents families in overboard cases. A person can also become unconscious from hypothermia in as little as 15 minutes , depending on sea temperatures.

At least 386 people were reported to have gone overboard, voluntarily or by accident, from 2000 to 2020, according to data Klein compiled. He began tracking overboard cases in 1995 using media reports, tips, information requests and other methods, later serving as an expert witness before Congress.

“People overboard was an area that hadn’t been studied, and, really, there was no data,” he said. “Even within the industry, they said back in 2012 and 2013 before Congress that they don’t keep track of this.”

While it’s true that tens of millions of people vacation on cruise ships every year without incident, experts say a combination of mitigatable risks and loose safety regulations are contributing to deaths.

In a 2020 study , a professor examined more than 620 cruise deaths from 2000 through the end of 2019. He found that overboard incidents — falling, jumping or being thrown — were the leading cause of death among passengers and crew members, accounting for 23 percent of all deaths.

“It’s a lot more common than people think,” said the professor, Travis Heggie, who tracks tourist deaths around the world at Bowling Green State University in Ohio.

Death rates for overboard incidents vary significantly among cruise lines, according to Klein’s calculations, which he said proves more can be done to protect passengers.

Only a handful of cruise lines have installed man-overboard systems, which use sensors or other technology to immediately detect when a person has fallen or jumped off the vessel, Klein said. (The Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act of 2010 requires vessels to “integrate technology” for detecting falls overboard “to the extent that such technology is available,” and some operators have argued that existing technology is not reliable enough yet.)

The safest cruise lines were able to rescue only 40 percent of overboard passengers, and most save far fewer, he said. The rescue rate was as low as 6 percent on at least one cruise line.

7 facts about the world's biggest cruise ship

The amount of alcohol being served on cruise ships is also a concern cited by several experts, who said passengers are being overserved. Alcohol is involved in up to 60 percent of overboard cases, according to Klein, and alcoholic drinks have become one of the leading sources of onboard revenue for cruise lines in recent years.

“Cruise lines make a lot of money serving alcohol,” Rivkind said, “and what they’ve done over the years is, they’ve moved to all-you-can-drink policies. They often allow them to drink as many as 15 alcoholic beverages a day. To me, that’s a big source of the problem.”

Defenders of the industry often characterize cruise ships as a microcosm of a city, with the same problems that come up on land. But Heggie and others disagree.

“Nobody is saying 23 percent of hotel client deaths are from falling off balconies,” he said.

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Boating Accidents Involving Children & Related Legal Claims

Families often enjoy going out on the water for recreation, but thousands of boating injuries occur each year. A meaningful percentage of these injuries involve children. Parents should not take their children on a boat until they can wear a life jacket that appropriately fits them. Children should not dangle their hands or feet over the side of the boat, and they should not run on the boat due to the risk of tripping and falling. Other tips for parents include:

• Always wearing a life jacket: children are more likely to wear life jackets when their parents model this behavior
• Keeping children warm: they are more likely than adults to suffer from hypothermia
• Not letting a teenage child operate a boat unless they are sufficiently mature and carefully supervised
• Not operating a boat after consuming alcohol
• Keeping an eye on weather conditions and returning to land when potentially hazardous conditions arise

However, parents cannot completely avert the risk of accidents caused by human error. If a parent is operating the boat, they may not be able to avoid a collision with another operator who is drunk, distracted, violating a boating right of way rule, or otherwise acting carelessly or recklessly. If they go out on a boat operated by someone else, that person may fail to take proper safety precautions, causing the boat to collide with other boats or stationary objects, such as rocks or buoys. A boat operator who lacks adequate training may fail to notice hazards or respond promptly to emergencies. Failing to supply a boat with appropriate safety equipment also may contribute to injuries.

Legal Claims Based on Boating Accidents

Like accidents involving vehicles on land, accidents involving boats may support a negligence claim against one or more boating operators. In a negligence claim, a victim would need to prove that the defendant failed to exercise the proper degree of care under the circumstances, and this caused their injuries. Sometimes parties other than an individual who operated a boat also may be sued. For example, if the operator was on the job at the time, their employer might be vicariously liable. This theory holds an employer responsible for the negligence of an employee, even if the employer did nothing wrong.

In some cases, a manufacturer may be responsible for an accident when the boat or one of its components contains a defect. Parents may have a product liability claim against the manufacturer. They would need to show that the defect in the boat or component caused their child’s injuries. Products liability claims tend to be complex and may require retaining expert witnesses. However, fault may be easier to establish than in ordinary personal injury cases because strict liability usually applies. This means that parents would not need to prove negligence, or a failure to meet a particular standard of care.

Injuries also may occur when a family goes on a cruise. Specific procedural rules and limitations on lawsuits may apply to cruise ship accident cases, so parents should promptly explore their options if their child was injured during a cruise.

Damages following a boating accident may compensate a child for the pain and suffering that they endured, as well as other intangible harm. Parents also can recover the costs of medical bills, future treatment, and other out-of-pocket expenses. If a child suffered a tragic death during an outing on the water, such as a drowning incident, parents likely can recover damages through a wrongful death claim against an at-fault party.

A defendant or insurer may contest a case that involves serious injuries and substantial damages, even when liability seems straightforward. Parents may benefit from working with a personal injury lawyer who is experienced in the distinctive field of boating accidents. Their attorney likely will not charge fees unless and until they get a settlement or judgment, part of which would be set aside to pay the attorney.

Last reviewed December 2023

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• Boating Accidents Involving Children & Related Legal Claims
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7 Things Every Parent Should Know Before Taking Their Children on a Cruise 

According to the American Association of Port Authorities, Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association nearly 2 million kids under 18 years of age will take a cruise this year.   And with bigger and more exciting cruise ships being launched seemingly every week- taking the entire family on a cruise will become more popular and affordable in the years to come. 

However, taking your children on a modern mega cruise ship requires certainly planning and strategies to keep them safe- because cruise ships are much like a floating city- full of excitement and dangers.  As a cruise ship injury lawyer, I have investigated thousands of passenger injury claims- and sadly many of them have involved children who have been left on their own to explore and enjoy the ship.  

That is why we recommend the following 5 strategies depending on the age and maturity of your children to keep them safe on your next family cruise:

• Always have an adult share the cabin with kids- It is understandable that parents would like to have alone time and might want to put their children in a separate cabin.  However, we have seen cases where other passengers and sadly crew members have entered cabins where children are alone- and sexually assaulted a child.  
• Never Allow Kids to go to another passenger’s- Unless you know the other passenger- allowing your child to go to another passenger’s cabin is potentially very dangerous.  Oftentimes, kids like adults will meet other passengers on the cruise- and may want to show off their cabins to their new friends.  Problems can arise because people assume simply because other passengers are on a cruise with their families that they are “good and safe people” or have the same standards about safety as you might.  But unless you vet the other child and his or her family- allowing your child to be alone with them in a locked cabin is not a good idea, ever. 
• Never Allow Your Child to Accept Food or a Drink from a Stranger- This is especially important as most major cruise lines sell all inclusive beverage packages which can make it easy and cheap for someone to offer your child an exotic looking and potentially dangerous beverage.  We have seen cases where young girls who are traipsing around the ship in bikinis looking much older than they actually are- are offered and accept what they may or may not actually think are innocent drinks from strangers- only to have them be laced with alcohol or worse.  
• Room Keys- Giving your child a room key can be a bad idea- if they lose it or exchange it with another passenger.  We have seen cases where a child is convinced to trade room keys with other passengers like they are some kind of Pokemon card- only to have things suddenly lost or stolen from your cabin- or worse. If you child is given a key- make sure that if they lose it you notify the ship’s security immediately so that they can re-code your keycard and door lock.  This can be a hassle and often time consuming- even if you only have a few days or hours left on your cruise- but a very necessary safety measure. 
• Establish a Curfew: Cruise ship casinos and bars can operate all night long- letting your child wander a cruise ship after hours is not a good idea- where they can and will encounter intoxicated passengers and even crewmembers. Make sure that they are safely in bed, back in your cabin at a reasonable hour. 
• Don’t let kids explore- cruise ships have adult only and crew only areas that are usually not clearly marked and are easy to wander into.  Adult areas such as bars, nightclubs, spas, casinos are often not appropriate areas for young children for a variety of reasons.  And crew only areas are even worse- because they don’t have the same safety features, doors, floor, and protections designed for passenger areas.  If you decide to let your kids out alone- make sure they have a buddy with them at all times- even when and especially when they go into bathrooms. 
• Stay Sober- If you think that the cruise line or crewmembers will take responsibility for your child you are wrong- most cruise ships do not have lifeguards at pools or waterslides.  Instead, they leave your child’s safety to you- the parent.  At the same time they ply the exhausted and sunbaked parents with non-stop drinks and distractions which can lead to tragedy.  While it is understandable that as a parent you want to enjoy your vacation and party- just remember that your child’s safety depends on your ability to perceive dangers and protect them. 

If your child has been injured aboard a cruise ship, it is important that you hire an experienced maritime injury lawyer to investigate the incident and to hold the cruise line accountable.  Our cruise ship accident lawyers are located in Miami- near the corporate headquarters of Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Norwegian Cruise Lines- we have over 30 years of combined legal experience suing cruise ships and cruise lines when they put their profits ahead of passenger safety. 

We offer a free initial consultation to anyone who has been involved in a slip and fall, trip and fall, sexual assault or other kind of cruise ship related accident onboard the vessel, on a gangway, tender boat or in port.  Call us today 866-597-5429 and speak to an experienced cruise ship accident lawyer about your potential claim.  We are ready to help you obtain the compensation you deserve for lost wages, medical expenses. loss of enjoyment of your cruise, travel reimbursement and pain and suffering. 

Aronfeld Trial Lawyers is a firm of high-profile, nationally recognized legal advocates who work for you, our client, never big business. We represent cases resulting in serious injuries in the areas of Cruise Ship Injuries, Wrongful Death, Automobile Accidents, Cycling Accidents, Slip and Fall Incidents, Product Liability, Civil Rights Claims, Workplace Injuries, Maritime Law, Sexual Assault, Medical and Dental Malpractice, and others.

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What to Do If You Suspect Child Sexual Abuse on a Cruise Ship

While many cruise passengers enjoy their vacations without incident, some experience serious injuries, sexual assault, and rape, all of which can involve children. Recently, a Disney cruise “youth host” was arrested and charged with sexually molesting a ten-year-old boy. 

Attorney John H. (Jack) Hickey and the entire team at Hickey Law Firm have experience with these cases and are available to help 24/7. We also have a closed Facebook group for victims of cruise ship accidents and sexual assault, which offers support and resources. 

If you suspect child sexual abuse, be it on a cruise ship, at home, or any place, follow these steps to help the child and stop the perpetrator from harming children:

1. Recognize the Signs of Child Sexual Abuse

Understanding the warning signs of child sexual abuse is essential and can be life saving.  Child sexual abuse  can involve touching or non-touching. Warning signs range from physical to behavioral changes, including: 

• Acting inappropriately with toys/objects in a sexual way
• Sleep disruptions such as nightmares
• Withdrawn, clingy, or unusually secretive behavior
• Mood swings, insecurity, anger outbursts, and other sudden personality changes 
• Regression to younger actions including bedwetting
• Unexplained fear of specific people or places or not wanting to be alone with a particular person 
• Changing eating habits 
• Using adult words for body parts that are new with no discernible source
• Unexplained gifts or money 
• Talking about a new friend who is older 
• Self-harm such as cutting or burning themselves
• Running away 

If several of these warning signs are present, you should ask questions and seek help. The death of a loved one, pet or a divorce, problem at school, or other traumatic events could also be the reason for some of the signs listed above.

Physical injuries and signs include:

• Bruises or soreness around the genitals or mouth that are unexplained
• Sexually transmitted diseases
• Pain in the genitals, anus, or mouth
• Recurring pain during bowel movements and urination
• Bleeding, discharge, or discoloration in the genitals, anus, or mouth 
• Soiling or wetting accidents that aren’t related to potty training

2. Talk with the Child and Ask Questions

Some of these signs aren’t immediately evident, which is why asking questions is an essential next step after noticing one or more of the warning signs listed above. Pick a place where the child feels comfortable and avoid speaking with them in front of anyone who could be harming them. Try to use a vocal tone that is soothing, not serious, and casual to help the child be at ease and more likely to give you honest, accurate answers. Talk to him or her directly using words they understand.

Ask the child questions such as “Has someone been touching you?” That question is vague enough for them to understand, and you can gauge their response and go from there. A child may answer with something along the lines of no one touches them unless it’s a parent at bath time or mentions someone who specifically touches them. Let the child speak freely and wait for a pause to ask follow-up questions and explain what made you concerned. Sometimes, using the word “hurting” could cause confusion.

Be careful how you phrase your questions so as not to assign judgment or blame. Start your questions and sentences with “I” instead of “you,” such as “I am concerned because…” instead of “You said something that concerns me…” Make sure the child understands they’re not in trouble and that you’re asking these questions and having the conversation because you are concerned about their wellbeing.

The child may be frightened to have this conversation. Many perpetrators of sexual abuse threaten the child with physical violence or make claims that they’ll be put into the foster care system if they say anything.

3. Report the Suspected Child Sexual Abuse

Before you report child sexual abuse, tell the child that you’re going to speak with someone who can help. They may be frightened, but make sure they understand you’re not asking for permission. Reporting the crime involves authorities who can help the child and keep him or her safe.

It’s also critical that you make sure that the child is in a safe place and tell the authorities whether you’re worried the perpetrator will cause more harm when they learn of the investigation. You may also speak with the parents about the harm IF you believe they are not the perpetrator.

If you are the parent and think your spouse or another family member is harming your child, RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) has  advice for parents . Suspected child sexual abuse should be reported to the proper authorities, which is typically Child Protective Services, but the circumstances are different on a cruise ship. 

Reporting Child Sexual Abuse on a Cruise Ship

The 2010 CVSSA Act (Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act) ensures the rights of victims on cruise ships, which includes sexual violence prevention and victim response. This guarantees your right to a sexual assault forensic exam and a report. These rights involve a written summary of who to talk to and where to go in the event of a crime on a cruise ship or a cruise ship accident as well as confidentiality rights to receive support services from medical professionals, counselors, etc. The FBI has jurisdiction over cruises that include a U.S. port, and the victim is an American.

Sexual assault victims on cruise ships are often under 18, and the recent crime on a Disney cruise shows child sexual abuse is a common occurrence. Report the crime to the appropriate authorities on board and contact the FBI and U.S. Coast Guard about how to proceed. Insist that the crime scene be sealed and secured until law enforcement arrives. Write down witness names, contact information, and other details. You may also call the Childhelp National Abuse Hotline at  (800) 422-4453 .

Your next steps should be to contact a cruise ship sexual assault attorney who has experience with these types of cases. It’s best to do so while on board. Cruises go through multiple ports and countries, and holding the perpetrator accountable can be difficult, especially without the help of a legal professional. These lawsuits typically must be filed in Miami, Florida.

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Breaking news, vacation horror as ‘drunk’ son, 20, jumps from royal caribbean cruise in front of family.

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A cruise turned into a nightmare for people aboard Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of the Seas when a young man jumped overboard shortly after 4 a.m. Thursday.

The 18-story ship was sailing between Cuba and the Bahamas’ Grand Inagua Island when the as-yet-unidentified man jumped off one of the decks.

According to onlookers, his father and brother watched helplessly as he leaped over the side.

Some passengers said it appeared to be an impulsive, spur-of-the-moment decision. 

“I had hung out with him and his brother in the hot tub until 3:30,” passenger Bryan Sims tells The Post. ” It was standing room only. He sat right beside me the whole time.”

“He was pretty drunk,” Sims continues.

“As we were walking from the hot tub back to the elevators, his dad and brother were walking towards us. His dad was fussing at him for being drunk, I guess.” “When we got to them, he said to his dad, ‘I’ll fix this right now.’ And he jumped out the window in front of us all.” 

“There was a lot of yelling, and the crew was alerted immediately,” another passenger,  Deborah Morrison, told The Post.

“His family was horrified. Just beside themselves. I can’t even begin to imagine what they’re going through.”

“It was insane,” says Sims. “It was just surreal.” 

In a statement to The Post, Royal Caribbean said its crew immediately sprang into action following the incident.

“The ship’s crew immediately launched a search and rescue effort alongside the US Coast Guard, who has taken over the search,” the statement reads.

“Our Care Team is providing support and assistance to the guest’s family during this difficult time. For the privacy of the guest and their family, we have no additional details to share.”

News of the apparent suicide attempt quickly spread among the guests — and many of them tried to help in any way they could.

“The early morning was definitely somber as so many people came out of their cabins to stare at the sea, hoping to be able to aid in finding the person,” said Amy Phelps Fouse, a passenger on the ship.

“Royal Caribbean has been excellent at communicating updates throughout the day,” Fouse continued. “They have asked that people act with compassion in light of the tragic situation.”

Overboard incidents on cruise ships are rare.

According to the Washington Post , about 386 people were reported to have gone overboard on the major cruise lines between 2000 to 2020.

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The incidents, whether accidental or intentional, are often deadly.

In the past few years, most cruise lines have enacted onboard safety measures and surveillance systems to help reduce the risk of overboard deaths.

The Coast Guard confirmed to The Post it is still conducting a search and rescue operation in the waters off Cuba. The man has not yet been found.

If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or are experiencing a mental health crisis and live in New York City, you can call 1-888-NYC-WELL for free and confidential crisis counseling. If you live outside the five boroughs, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 988 or go to  SuicidePreventionLifeline.org .

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Leaving Your Child With Cruise Ship Child Care

There are certainly cruises targeting couples and adventure-seeking adults, but a large percentage of guests onboard ships are families with children under 18 years old. Statistics on cruise passenger demographics reveal that around 42% of parties include minors, and it is easy to see the attraction. Cruise vacations offer almost every activity under the sun, and there is something to do for passengers of all ages. The added bonus for parents: Many tour operators allow you to make arrangements for daycare, supervised activities, and babysitting.  

However, there are always concerns when leaving your child with strangers. Just as you would at home, it is crucial to understand your options and do some research when dealing with cruise ship daycare services. There are dangers and risks that you may not expect, especially in unfamiliar territory. Retaining a Miami cruise ship injuries lawyer should be a priority if your child was hurt, but some basic information could help you reduce the threat of accidents.

Know Your Options

Even before you depart, it is useful to be aware of the different offerings for childcare on board. Of course, your options will vary depending on the cruise line, as well as your child’s age, maturity level, interests, and needs. In most cases, parents will be required to pay an hourly fee plus gratuity. Some of the arrangements offered by major cruise operators include:

• Late night group childcare, typically in the kid’s club section of the ship;
• In-cabin babysitting, when you make advance reservations;
• “Slumber party” care, usually from 10pm to 1am for toddlers up to adolescents;
• Scheduled, supervised kids activities; and,
• Childcare organized around mealtimes and food, such as pizza parties.

It is rare that cruise lines offer any babysitting services for overnight.

Doing Your Homework

Aside from knowing your options, you should conduct some basic research before leaving your child with cruise ship daycare. You will enjoy your time separate from the kids or on a shore excursion when you gather information

• Check overall cleanliness.
• Introduce yourself to managing staff at the daycare.
• Request some basics about training, education, and certifications for staff.
• Find out whether the facility requires children to be potty-trained.
• Determine if staff will handle meals or snacks for children.
• Ask about what services are offered on sea days versus port days.

Plus, you should inquire about limits on the number of children that can be in the nursery area at one time. On the one hand, you want to know because early reservations will be critical. At the same time, you do not want a situation where there are too many kids and not enough people watching over them.

Our Miami Cruise Ship Injures Attorneys Will Support Your Legal Needs

Cruise ship daycare services are generally safe, but it is important to take advantage of your options if your child was hurt. For more information about your remedies, please contact Gerson & Schwartz, PA. We can set up a free consultation to discuss your case at our offices in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, or West Palm Beach, FL.

How one cruise line will keep kids from running wild on its new, huge cruise ships

It's no small feat to keep the largest cruise ships in the world from being overrun with children.

Megaship sailings are ideal for families with kids of all ages. Do it right, and you're making memories that will last a lifetime. Do it wrong, and you've got moody teens hanging out in stairwells, rowdy kids taking over hot tubs and screaming babies in the dining room.

That's why MSC Cruises is playing it smart with its newest megaships, 6,762-passenger, 215,863-ton MSC World Europa and its Miami-based twin, MSC World America , the latter of which debuts in 2025. (For context, these new World Class ships are similar in passenger count and ship size to Royal Caribbean's Oasis Class ships .)

After all, the line has plenty of experience with children; it carries 600,000 kids and teens annually. In high season, its largest ships sometimes see 2,000 kids and teens per cruise.

MSC's goal is to give kids and families plenty of options for fun — both together and apart — to keep everyone busy, happy and out of trouble (my words, not theirs).

"We are working every week to surprise them and give them something new," Matteo Mancini, MSC Cruises' senior manager of kids and family entertainment, told me during a Zoom interview. In the highly competitive family cruise market, MSC Cruises is not trying to dominate; its goal is "to be simply different and unique."

MSC Cruises is a privately owned family company, whose top executives are grandparents and parents themselves. So the line's mission to create appealing choices for families and kids is personal.

Here's how the Mediterranean-based cruise line plans to win over the littlest cruisers on its biggest new ships — and, consequently, keep those kids from running wild on board.

More space for kids

MSC Seascape , which debuted in late 2022 and currently sails weeklong Caribbean and Bahamas cruises, offers 700 square meters (more than 7,500 square feet) of Doremiland youth space between its Baby Club (for babies and toddlers younger than 3), Mini Club (ages 3 to 6), Junior Club (ages 7 to 11), Young Club (ages 12 to 14) and Teen Club (ages 15 to 17).

When MSC World America debuts next year, it will house more than 1,000 square meters (nearly 10,800 square feet) of youth space, as well as more youth staff members to accommodate more kids.

Plus, its upper decks, at least on the back half of the ship, will be filled with kid-friendly attractions, including waterslides, an arcade with virtual reality attractions, an indoor sports court and the aforementioned kids clubs.

The buffet is also in this area, and Mancini says that the ship will feature a new section of the buffet especially for kids and teens, with different food options daily. The line is also taking a page out of other cruise lines' books and bringing free soft-serve ice cream — a kid favorite — to the buffet.

Related: The 6 types of MSC Cruises ships, explained

Kid- and teen-approved activities

But how does MSC Cruises know what kids will like? They go to the source and ask.

"Every three months, both on board our ships and in the headquarters in Geneva, we do a kids committee with kids and teenagers," Mancini revealed. "We talk to kids and teenagers, and we ask them, 'Guys, are you having fun with our Doremiland program?'"

MSC asks what the kids like, what they don't like and which programs and activities the line should cancel.

The line also presents ideas it's toying with bringing to the ships, and its focus group of kids and teens tells them whether the ideas are worth exploring or not.

This process allows the line to continuously adapt and improve its youth programming. Changes that Mancini has seen include shortening activities from an hour to half an hour to get in a wider variety of events and giving kids the choice of joining in the group activity or continuing to do free play in the youth space.

The line has also changed how its staff approaches participation in youth club activities. "Because of social media, Instagram, YouTube, now teenagers want to be the star of what we're offering," says Mancini. "Once upon a time, they were like, OK, let's watch this activity. Now they want to be on stage, they want to be part of something, and we give them the opportunity if they feel like it."

Plus, the line has different options for what it means to participate. "I give you an example — at some point, we were doing dance competitions, but not everyone is comfortable in dancing," explains Mancini. "So we tell them, do you want to be the [judge] of the dance competition, and there we see magic because they say, 'Oh, yes,' and then you give them the microphone, and you discover another talent that you didn't expect."

With a game show-style activity, teens can choose to be the contestant, the judge, the emcee or the audience. Everyone can play a role and have fun in a way that works for them.

Related: MSC Cruises vs. Royal Caribbean: Which big-ship line is right for you?

High-tech activities go beyond video games

MSC Cruises knows that kids these days are immersed in technology, but its youth staff wants programming to be more than just video games. So it got creative.

Drone Academy is a new program that takes place in the Sportplex indoor sports court where teens learn how to pilot drones and race them around obstacles. Instead of typical arts and crafts with paper and crayons, kids can create images on computers and print them out on 3D printers. The activities blend innovation with technology, so kids are not just mindlessly playing Mario Kart all day long.

Don't worry, parents of video game-obsessed children — MSC cruise ships do also have PlayStations on board. But the youth staff tries to make the games social. "When you are on our cruise ships, you play together with other kids and teenagers," says Mancini. "You talk to them because you are playing in a group." The games serve as an entree into socializing and making friends, rather than a solitary activity.

Related: 5 best cruise lines for families

Kids clubs are inclusive

MSC Cruises is an international brand, and its ships routinely sail with 35 different nationalities on board. While the international vibe might be appealing to adults, it can be intimidating for kids to interact with peers who don't speak the same language.

But MSC has already thought about that.

"Right now, in the U.S., the majority of kids and teenagers we are having in our kids club are from America," says Mancini. "There is no issue to make friends." However, MSC's youth staff members all speak several languages so they can translate for kids if necessary.

Plus, this international vibe is the main reason why MSC pursued a relationship with Lego, whose beloved bricks are now found in kids clubs fleetwide.

"We went to Lego years ago and we say, 'Listen, we are having 35 different nationalities of kids. They are from different cultures and speak different languages, and the only toy that needs no explanation is a Lego brick. So we need you. Can you guys help us?' And they said yes for this reason."

It's not only different language speakers who are welcomed into MSC's kids clubs. The line also welcomes children with disabilities.

"At the end of 2023, we asked all our youth staff fleetwide to follow specific training to work and spend time with children with autism," says Mancini. When an autistic child comes on board, every member of the youth staff knows how to work with them and provide a welcoming environment within the kids club.

No-cost programming

When Mancini said MSC wants its program to be unique, he wasn't only referring to the specific activities. He was also referring to its cost — or lack thereof.

All of the Doremiland clubs are open from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. free of charge. Other lines start charging for late-night babysitting after 10 p.m., but MSC Cruises gives kids an extra hour for free. In addition, babies and toddlers can be dropped off at the Baby Club for free — unlike on Royal Caribbean and Disney Cruise Line , where parents must pay for drop-off baby care.

In addition, the line has a program where kids and teens can eat lunch and dinner with the youth staff so parents can enjoy a leisurely meal and date night together. Again, this service is provided at no extra cost to families.

It's not just the big ships

MSC Cruises' Doremiland youth program is the same fleetwide, whether you're on the smallest ship or the biggest . You'll find the same Lego partnership, the same range of age-appropriate clubs, arcades and some kind of kid-friendly water attraction. Family programming, such as "Master Chef at Sea Juniors" or the "Guinness World Records" family game show, takes place across different sizes of ships.

When MSC World America debuts in Miami next year, the line hopes it will win the hearts of cruising families with its wealth of attractions and activities aimed at keeping kids and teens busy, not bored. But when MSC's newest fans decide to branch out and sail the line's smaller ships in Europe or South America, they won't have to settle for less-than kids programming.

And the adults on board fleetwide can breathe easier, knowing that the kids will be lured away from the stairwells and into the kids clubs — hopefully leaving the hot tubs free for some adult R&R.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

• The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship
• A beginners guide to picking a cruise line
• The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship
• The ultimate guide to what to pack for a cruise
• A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines
• 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
• Top ways cruisers waste money
• The ultimate guide to choosing a cruise ship cabin

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.