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Grandfather Pleads Guilty in Toddler's Cruise Ship Fall

Negligent Homicide Conviction Ends Nightmare

Tragic Incident on Royal Caribbean Cruise

A grandfather has pleaded guilty to negligent homicide in the death of his 18-month-old granddaughter who fell from a cruise ship window in 2019. The tragedy occurred aboard Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas.

The man, Salvatore Anello, had been holding his granddaughter, Chloe Wiegand, in a 11th-floor window on the ship when she slipped from his grasp and fell to the deck below. Surveillance footage showed Anello backing away from the open window with the toddler in his arms, moments before she fell.

In August 2022, Anello entered a plea of guilty to negligent homicide in a Puerto Rico court. He received a three-year suspended sentence and was released on probation.

The guilty plea brings an end to the prolonged legal battle between Anello and Royal Caribbean. The cruise line had filed a motion in the Southern District of Florida, seeking to dismiss the wrongful death lawsuit filed by Chloe's parents. However, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeal overturned the dismissal, allowing the case to proceed.

The plea deal has brought some closure to Chloe's family, who have endured years of pain and anguish following the tragic accident. Anello's guilty plea underscores the importance of being vigilant and responsible when supervising young children, especially in potentially hazardous environments like cruise ships.