The parents of a toddler who died after falling from a Royal Caribbean cruise ship blame the company

[Demovictory9]

I think this is the windows with the railings.





The toddler was with her grandfather, Sam Anello in the "water park on the ship, which is designed for the kids -- kids are meant to be there," Michael Winkleman, the family's attorney, said earlier this month. Winkleman says there's a row of windows in the area, and Anello placed his granddaughter on a wood railing by the windows, believing she would bang on the glass just like she does at her brother's hockey games. But the window was open.

"Next thing he knows, she's gone," Winkleman had said.

Holding the company accountable
But Kimberly Wiegand says she blames the cruise company and wants them held accountable in court, adding "this cannot happen to another family."

"There are a million things that could have been done to make that safer," she said this week. "I never want another mother to have to experience this or to see what I had to see."

Grandfather didn't dangle baby from cruise ship window. This is not the 'Michael Jackson story,' says family attorney
No matter the reason, she said those windows should not have been open.

"Come up with some other mechanism to make guests comfortable, rather than creating a tremendous safety hazard that cost our child her life."

https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/23/us/parents-toddler-cruise-ship/index.html

[silentEcho]

1. Horrible accident. The window way too high to cause incident with a baby.

Except Grandpa didn’t see. I do not put it on the cruise but on an accident.

[Kaleva]

2. Setting a toddler on a rail, window or no window, isn't a good idea IMHO.

The grandfather had a serious lapse in judgment and it will haunt him for the rest of his life.

[Demovictory9]

6. window goes all they way to ground. There was no reason to put her up higher

[Kaleva]

7. There was also no reason to think it was a strong as the glass at hockey arenas

The glass at hockey arenas is designed to handle the impact of hockey pucks and even hockey players. It baffles me that the grandfather thought it okay to lift the granddaughter up and place her on a rail so she could lean over and band on the glass like she did at hockey games.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

12. I'd bet the ship's windows are strong enough to handle a hockey puck.

They will get hit by rolling deck chairs, thrown beer bottles, and that's just from the inside. Then there are strikes by seagull, albatross, and the occasional rogue wave. The glass on the eleventh floor of an office building is generally pretty strong, too.

The grandfather probably knows he screwed up and will regret it for life. I'd be surprised if the suit succeeds.

[SunSeeker]

3. That window is pretty high, higher than a toddler. How did she get up there?.

And why wasn't grandpa watching her?

[Demovictory9]

5. he was watching her. He picked her up and put her feet on the rail. didnt notice window was open

[SunSeeker]

8. OMG. He put her there?! Holy shit. His eyesight is bad I guess.

It is pretty obvious from the picture that the windos is open. Plus wouldn't he feel the wind?

[Demovictory9]

9. yes he did. 11 stories up.

[BlueMississippi]

10. Very Tragic accident

The grandfather is at fault here. When one is watching a toddler, one's job is to keep the baby as close to the ground as possible and not let it be out of reach even for a second unless in a crib or a play-pen.

[delisen]

16. There is no such "Job" or rule as you cite in caring for a toddler. nt

[PoliticAverse]

11. "believing she would bang on the glass just like she does at her brother's hockey games."

I expect the company (most likely their insurance company) to settle any lawsuit but kids really should be taught not to "bang on glass".

[Tipperary]

20. Absolutely.

What you said.

I just cannot imagine he could not see (or feel) the window was open. There’s usually a sea breeze on or near the ocean. It would be distinctively different.

[mnhtnbb]

13. Tragic accident due to poor judgment

from the grandfather. He will have to carry that for the rest of his life. If he was in charge of watching her, it was his responsibility to keep her safe. And if the grandfather didn't have the mental capacity for the job due to age or other issues (dementia?), then one of the parents should have also been watching the toddler.

I don't think the cruise line is at fault.

[alphafemale]

14. Windows, can be open. A reasonable person will understand a window might be open.

It is not the fault of the ship that a window, that was in the nature of windows.....open.

[raccoon]

15. Grandpa might Have some dementia. NT

[Vinca]

17. So the baby was 4 feet tall and could climb? I don't think so.

[no_hypocrisy]

18. The railing.

The railing was designed and intended for use for assistance in walking, not as a platform.

In other words, the railing wasn't installed for babies, toddlers, and/or children standing on it.

The grandfather erred in his judgment for putting the child on the railing, regardless of the window.

I'm certain this will be settled between the family and insurance carrier and fault will not conclusively be found.

[Bucky]

19. This is heart breaking

Toddlers climb. You don't put them by open windows.