Toddler Plunges To Her Death From Cruise Ship Window

A toddler has died when she plunged off the upper deck of a cruise ship while her grandfather was reportedly dangling her near the window.

According to the Daily Mail, the 19-month old young girl, who was from Indiana in the US, fell from a Royal Caribbean vessel docked in Puerto Rico on Sunday afternoon.

It is believed that the child’s grandfather fell and the child slipped from his arms out of a window on the 11th deck of the Freedom of the Seas ship.

It was reported that the horrified passengers heard a ‘cry of pain’ from the girl’s mother.

‘[We heard] the screams of the families because we were close,’ a nearby passenger told Telemundo PR.

‘I looked because of the mother’s cry. That tonality, a scream of pain of that nature, does not compare with any other scream.’

The child fell onto the concrete of the dock in San Juan and died on impact.

It is understood that deck 11 on this cruise liner is a pool deck, which may explain why the window would open.

What A Tragic Game

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

He confirmed that the homicide division was investigating the death.

A statement from Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. said that they 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.’

The captain of the ship shared the sad news and announced that the departure of the cruise would be delayed.

Our thoughts are with the family.

Leave your comments below.

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35 Comments

- - meedee said
  - 07 May 2023
    7:06 am
I dont know how the grandfather could move on after this. I would be racked by guilt.

- - Jmac said
  - 10 Sep 2019
    10:08 pm
How tragic! I would be so scared to take my toddlers on a cruise ship – but that is just my fear – i don’t judge others for doing that. Poor things.

- - mom418599 said
  - 18 Aug 2019
    8:23 pm
This makes me feel physically ill to read. I cannot imagine what the parents are going through having to have to go through that. I am always extremely careful with my children around places that I do not know, it only takes one slip up to have such a tragedy. RIP darling child, the Good Lord holds you now.

- - Blossom said
  - 19 Jul 2019
    10:16 am
The windows on the pool deck of Royal Caribbean are quite high so the toddler must have been “thrown” fairly high to fall overboard when her Grandfather slipped and fell. It is such a horrid tragedy that both the Mum and Grandfather will probably re-live for ever. Playing with a child in that way wasn’t a wise decision but we don’t always think of that on the spur of the moment

- - mom101628 said
  - 12 Jul 2019
    10:41 pm
Terrible thing to happen – sorry for the mum and granddad will bear this for the rest of his life too.

- - mom19782016 said
  - 11 Jul 2019
    3:31 pm
Oh this makes me so sad and nervous to go on a cruise ship

- - youngoldlady said
  - 10 Jul 2019
    8:37 pm
I can not understand what a window that can be opened was on that floor. In buildings you have to have some sort of barrier to prevent falls from anyone near them. The family will now have to live with this for life.

- - mom60462 said
  - 10 Jul 2019
    4:28 pm
so very sad

- - tessie said
  - 10 Jul 2019
    1:50 pm
This is certainly a tragedy and, yes, a window should not have been left open. Since it was an area for children none of the windows should be able to open. Also why would you let a child bang on glass because it could shatter. Nothing can take away that this tragedy has occurred though. RIP little one.

- - rovermum said
  - 10 Jul 2019
    12:29 pm
I heard this story on the news and could not believe it. Just so horrific and sad and tragic.

- - serotonin said
  - 10 Jul 2019
    1:31 am
Some shockingly horrible, heartbreaking stories regarding kids lately. Very sad. What a traumatic experience for the family. R.I.P. little one. 🙁

- - musicmum said
  - 09 Jul 2019
    9:57 pm
Tragic, there needs to be more safety measures, after all it is a family cruise ship and windows should have barriers in place.

- - mom90758 said
  - 09 Jul 2019
    4:20 pm
How terrible. And the grandfather.. will he be able to live with this? So sad for everyone involved. 🙁

- - sars_angelchik said
  - 09 Jul 2019
    3:53 pm
how horrifying! That poor family!

- - mom206279 said
  - 09 Jul 2019
    1:46 pm
What a heartbreaking accident.

- - nadine_hill said
  - 09 Jul 2019
    10:47 am
Oh my, that is just hearbreaking! How that poor family must feel …. my thoughts are with them. RIP little angel.

- - BrianaLouise said
  - 09 Jul 2019
    10:13 am
This makes me feel sick in the stomach. That poor child 🙁

- - DaffyD said
  - 09 Jul 2019
    8:05 am
Such a tragic event for the family, my heart goes out to the grandfather that must be devastated. RIP little one

- - Gurtling said
  - 09 Jul 2019
    7:48 am
We pray for this baby and her family.

- - Ellen said
  - 09 Jul 2019
    6:28 am
How tragic is this ! My thoughts & prayers go out to the family.