CNN: Royal Caribbean Cruises Not Liable for Death of 18-Month-Old Girl
Grandfather Held Responsible for Toddler's Fatal Fall
Cruise Line Found Negligent
CNN reports that Royal Caribbean Cruises has been cleared of any wrongdoing in the tragic death of an 18-month-old girl who fell from the Freedom of the Seas cruise liner in 2020. The toddler, identified as Chloe Wiegand, plummeted 11 floors from the ship's 11th-story window while under the supervision of her grandfather, Salvatore Anello.
According to court documents, Anello admitted to holding Chloe out the window, believing it was closed. However, the window was actually open, and Chloe fell to her death. Royal Caribbean was initially sued by Anello and his wife, but the cruise line argued that Anello was solely responsible for the accident.
A federal judge agreed with Royal Caribbean's argument, ruling that the cruise line did not create an unreasonable risk of harm and that Anello was negligent in his supervision of his granddaughter. The court also found that Royal Caribbean had adequate safety measures in place, including warning signs and closed windows.
Conclusion
The tragic death of Chloe Wiegand has served as a sobering reminder of the importance of parental supervision, especially in hazardous environments like cruise ships. While Royal Caribbean was cleared of any wrongdoing, the incident highlights the need for cruise lines to continuously evaluate and improve their safety measures to prevent similar tragedies from happening in the future.
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