Mom whose girl fell from Disney cruise won't be charged with child neglect, Florida prosecutor says
No charges will be filed against a mother whose 5-year-old daughter fell overboard while on a Disney Cruise this past June, Florida officials said.
According to court records, the mother was facing a child neglect charge after the girl lost her balance while sitting on a railing and fell to the water through a porthole of the Disney Dream ship near Fort Lauderdale, prompting her father to jump into the ocean to save her.
Footage of the dramatic Disney cruise rescue goes viral
The incident happened at about 11:30 a.m. June 29 on Deck 4 the cruise ship while it was in international waters between the Bahamas and Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, the Broward Sheriff's Office said.
After the 5-year-old fell backward into the ocean, the girl's mother immediately alerted the father, who hadn't witnessed the fall.
After jumping into the ocean and securing his daughter, the father treaded water for about 20 minutes while clinging to his daughter until a rescue ship could reach them. It was all captured on cellphone video.
Once they were both rescued, they were evaluated by medical staff and then taken to the hospital.
Security video matched family's account of the incident
In July, BSO detectives said security footage from the cruise ship was reviewed and it corroborated the family's account of how the 5-year-old fell.
"This family is so blessed," a sheriff's spokesperson said about the incident. "It's great to be able to respond to good news rather than what could have been a tragic outcome."