Girl who fell off Disney cruise “was not being held” by father at time of incident, authorities say

By Bri Buckley

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    Florida (WFOR) — South Florida law enforcement is investigating after a 5-year-old girl fell overboard from a Disney Dream cruise ship Sunday, prompting her father to jump into the ocean after her.

The Broward Sheriff’s Office told CBS News Miami on Tuesday that the “little girl was not being held, as erroneously reported on some social media sites,” referring to online speculation that her father may have been holding her on the ship’s railing moments before the incident.

The incident happened aboard the Disney Dream as it sailed between the Bahamas and Fort Lauderdale. After she fell overboard, witnesses told CBS News Miami her father jumped in after her and treaded water for more than 10 minutes.

Cell phone video showed the father treading water with his daughter in his arms before handing her over to a rescue boat from the ship before getting into the boat as well.

Disney cruise passenger saw something “fly by” on the ship

Monica Shannon, a passenger on board, said she was on Deck 3 with her family waiting to meet Disney princesses when she saw something unexpected.

“I kind of see something really fast flew by, I didn’t think anything of it,” Shannon said.

“I just figured it was maybe a part of the show or just the experience, but about five minutes later we heard that someone flew overboard,” she said.

She later learned it was a 5-year-old girl who had fallen, followed by her father jumping overboard from Deck 4 of the ship on Sunday, while it was on its way back to Fort Lauderdale from the Bahamas.

Shannon noted that Deck 4 is less crowded than the other decks and contains the ship’s shuffleboard courts. She also described the railing setup, noting it does have a protective barrier.

“There are little divots and spaces that make it so that you can climb, but the glass kind of protects that from happening, but she was able to climb up,” Shannon said.

Disney crew member reportedly witnessed the fall

Shannon said she later spoke to a crew member who told her they saw the entire incident unfold.

“The crew member who said that’s her station and she was on the fourth floor, she did say that she was climbing up and the parents were playing shuffleboard and the dad jumped in after her,” Shannon said.

Maritime attorney calls girl’s father a hero

Nicholas Gerson, an attorney with Gerson & Schwartz who specializes in maritime injuries and cruise ship accidents, said the father’s actions likely saved his daughter’s life.

“Most of these cases that you hear about end in tragedy. In this particular situation, the father’s a hero,” Gerson said.

He noted this incident was unusual because it occurred during the day, with witnesses nearby and an immediate response from the father and the ship’s crew.

“Most of the man overboard cases, it’s too late. There aren’t any witnesses; they often happen at nighttime, and because the ships are moving at approximately 20 knots, by the time anyone figures out that someone has gone overboard, it’s generally too late,” Gerson said.

“There are little divots and spaces that make it so that you can climb, but the glass kind of protects that from happening, but she was able to climb up,” Shannon said.

Disney crew member reportedly witnessed the fall

Shannon said she later spoke to a crew member who told her they saw the entire incident unfold.

“The crew member who said that’s her station and she was on the fourth floor, she did say that she was climbing up and the parents were playing shuffleboard and the dad jumped in after her,” Shannon said.

Maritime attorney calls girl’s father a hero

Nicholas Gerson, an attorney with Gerson & Schwartz who specializes in maritime injuries and cruise ship accidents, said the father’s actions likely saved his daughter’s life.

“Most of these cases that you hear about end in tragedy. In this particular situation, the father’s a hero,” Gerson said.

He noted this incident was unusual because it occurred during the day, with witnesses nearby and an immediate response from the father and the ship’s crew.

“Most of the man overboard cases, it’s too late. There aren’t any witnesses; they often happen at nighttime, and because the ships are moving at approximately 20 knots, by the time anyone figures out that someone has gone overboard, it’s generally too late,” Gerson said.

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