Royal Caribbean tragedy: Toddler dies after being dangled from window by grandfather

The 19-month-old girl fell and landed on concrete at the Pan American dock in San Juan and later died in hospital. The girl and her family, from Indiana, were enjoying a holiday aboard Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship the Freedom of the Sea – the largest liner in the world – before tragedy struck on Sunday afternoon. Both sets of the child’s grandparents were on board the ship at the time, along with her parents and younger brother.

The girl’s grandfather, who has not been named, is said to have slipped and fallen whilst holding the toddler next to a window on the 11th deck of the ship.

It is believed the 11th deck held the ship’s swimming pool – and would be the only place on board the vessel that would have accessible windows that could be opened.

It is believed the baby girl would have turned two-years-old in December of this year.

Ship passengers described how they heard the girl’s mother “cry in pain” as the child fell to its death.

A passenger told publication Telemundo PR: ‘[We heard] the screams of the families because we were close.”

“I looked because of the mother’s cry.

“That tonality, a scream of pain of that nature, does not compare with any other scream.”

Department of Public Security official Elmer Román said the grandfather was playing a game with the child when she slipped from his arms.

Mr Roman said it has “not been possible to interview the family”, but confirmed the homicide division was investigating the tot’s death.

He also said the girl’s family were being provided with medical and spiritual support following horrific tragedy.

A spokesman for Royal Caribbean Cruises told Mail Online: “We are assisting local authorities in San Juan, PR as they make inquiries after an incident aboard Freedom of the Seas earlier today. We do not have further information to share at this point.”

source: express.co.uk