Tragic 'invisible danger' caused toddler to plunge to his death in hotel

Heartbroken parents are demanding justice after their one-year-old son fell nine storeys from a hotel balcony to his death.

Mum Anastasia Duboshina was packing snacks for the family to take on a beach trip when she heard a ‘horrible scream’ come from her husband James Carter, a lawsuit claims.

Dad James watched in horror as his little boy Nico fell through the window which had a missing pane, 30 metres to his death. The parents shared the harrowing last image of their boy who was playing on the balcony lined with glass panels when he fell.

“I relive it every day,” James told the San Diego Union-Tribune. “I was standing right there watching him fall nine storeys. It’s awful.”

“My world crashed into pieces in one second,” added Anastasia.

The parents, who were on holiday in Mexico from San Diego, have since filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Hyatt Hotels over the incident which happened in 2021 at the Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta hotel in Mexico. They accuse the hotel chain of misconduct and negligence.

How did the tragedy happen?

According to the lawsuit, one of the panels was missing, without any cones, warnings, caution tape or signs. The gap was big enough that the toddler accidentally passed through.

“Our boy’s death was so senseless and so completely preventable,” said the devastated mum.

“We want justice. We chose Hyatt in the first place for its safety. We want them to take responsibility for what they’ve done. No parent should go through what we’re going through. It’s so painful.”

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The lawsuit claims that “Since the panels are clear, it was not possible for the Carters to visibly discern that one of the panels was absent. The danger was invisible.”

Nico died at the Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta hotel just weeks before his second birthday.

The mum hopes in filing the lawsuit, no other child will meet the same fate.

“While it is our policy not to comment on potential or pending ligation, Hyatt has worked closely with Playa Hotels & Resorts, the operator of Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta, in an effort to ensure a complete and transparent investigation since this tragedy occurred in October 2021,” a spokesperson for the Hyatt hotel chain said.

“The safety and security of guests continues to be our highest priority, and our hearts remain with the family following this unimaginable loss.”

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