Grandad charged after toddler falls to her death from cruise ship
A man who police say dropped his young grandaughter from the 11th floor of a cruise ship in July has been accused of negligent homicide.
A judge ordered the arrest of Salvatore Anello, from Indiana in the US, after prosecutors submitted evidence and said the two-year-old girl fell from the ship docked in Puerto Rico when he raised her up to an open window, he thought was closed, and she fell 45 metres to her death.
An attorney for the family has said Chloe Wiegand asked her grandfather to lift her up so she could bang on the glass in a children's play area.
He blamed the cruise ship company for leaving the window inexplicably open.
The family is from Indiana and was aboard Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas.
Mr Anello was arrested on Monday, local time, and is being held on US$80,000 bond ($117,000) and is scheduled to appear in court on November 20.
In the wake of Chloe’s death, Royal Caribbean released a statement on the incident saying it was "deeply saddened by [the] tragic incident, and our hearts go out to the family".
Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.
You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter, download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play and stay up to date with the latest news with Yahoo’s daily newsletter. Sign up here.
