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Toddler Death Law Suit Update


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5 minutes ago, Another_Critic said:

Those (very poor quality) still shots are misleading.  The windows lean out as they go up.  The shot is deceiving since it's showing his hidden upper body leaning based on the vertical support posts.

Yes, the still shots are misleading, and yes, the windows lean out.  However, if you actually watch the security video these still were taken from (no, you do not see the toddler falling), it is very plain that he leans out far enough (before picking the child up) that his head had to be at least even with the window frame, and I think it's plain his head was outside the frame of the ship.  

 

Either way, he HAD to have known the window was open BEFORE picking the child up.  

 

ETA:  I do think RCI has done things correctly regarding this case.  They have been silent up until this point with the exception of sympathy statements despite the parents & lawyer taking pot shots since day 3(?).  Their statement is very well crafted IMO.  

Edited by S.A.M.J.R.
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This is a very sad unfortunate accident. I can't imagine what the parents must feel. Clearly no one would do this deliberately. To sue the cruise line, IMO only, just exacerbates the grief that the family must be feeling. It keeps the story in the news, thus having the grandfather dragged through the mud. They just need to drop it and go through the grieving process and try to live the rest of their lives. I'm sure the grandfather is suffering enough with the guilt he has to live with forever.

 

Blaming the cruise line won't bring her back or eliminate the feeling of guilt that her grandfather feels.

 

Edited by BeachChik
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32 minutes ago, S.A.M.J.R. said:

ETA:  I do think RCI has done things correctly regarding this case.  They have been silent up until this point with the exception of sympathy statements despite the parents & lawyer taking pot shots since day 3(?).  Their statement is very well crafted IMO.  

Completely agree. RCI has done everything right. All they are doing by releasing the videos is backing up their claim. There is no ill-will. Just a fact based on video-evidence.

 

I firmly believe that at all points of this sad happenings, RCI will remain very sympathetic to the immediate family of the little girl.

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17 minutes ago, BeachChik said:

This is a very sad unfortunate accident. I can't imagine what the parents must feel. Clearly no one would do this deliberately. To sue the cruise line, IMO only, just exacerbates the grief that the family must be feeling. It keeps the story in the news, thus having the grandfather dragged through the mud. They just need to drop it and go through the grieving process and try to live the rest of their lives. I'm sure the grandfather is suffering enough with the guilt he has to live with forever.

 

Blaming the cruise line won't bring her back or eliminate the feeling of guilt that her grandfather feels.

 

But that's exactly why Royal had to release the stills. It was not an accident, the grandfather stuck his head out the window he knew for the fact the window was open.

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Just now, Palmetto Pilot said:

But that's exactly why Royal had to release the stills. It was not an accident, the grandfather stuck his head out the window he knew for the fact the window was open.

It still was an accident. He didn't deliberately drop her.

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20 minutes ago, BeachChik said:

It still was an accident. He didn't deliberately drop her.

I don't think anyone (definitely NOT RCI) is claiming he did.  From the get go, the family has said the GF didn't know the window was open and RCI should have done more to let people know there are open windows on the pool deck.  That's what their suit claims.

 

Kind of hard to prove that though when the security footage SHOWS GF with his head out the window, or at least close enough to know it's open.  

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6 minutes ago, LorraineP said:

At least it shows he KNEW window was open. 

 

Not defending him, but once again, only HE knows what he knew regarding the window.

 

He denied knowing in several interviews, but was it a lie or the truth?  Only HE knows.

 

But, it's hard to believe, based on public evidence, that he did not know.

 

The human mind works in mysterious ways.

Edited by Another_Critic
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In the safety world, we do not use the term "accident."  Accident implies that there was no way to prevent it from happens.  We use the term "mishap."

 

In the work world, about 85% of mishaps are caused by unsafe actions by the people.  Only about 1% are "accidents" where there was no way to predict or prevent it come occurring.

 

And most mishaps (and I have investigated a number of them, including several fatalities) are a chain of events where little things were done wrong or went wrong or people did not think.  And in most cases, fixing any one of the things in this chain, can prevent a similar mishap in the future.

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1 hour ago, LorraineP said:

At least it shows he KNEW window was open. 

 

1 hour ago, Another_Critic said:

 

Not defending him, but once again, only HE knows what he knew regarding the window.

 

He denied knowing in several interviews, but was it a lie or the truth?  Only HE knows.

 

But, it's hard to believe, based on public evidence, that he did not know.

 

The human mind works in mysterious ways.

 

It's possible that he is so distraught / shocked / traumatized by the incident, he might not genuinely remember the moments clearly leading up to the fall. The mind has a powerful self defense mechanism to block out horrific actions.

 

I'm not trying to defend or justify the actions that lead to this terrible mistake.....just his actions since then.

 

Of course, there is a cynical part of my mind that wonders if he is trying to "save face" be claiming he didn't know the window was open.

 

 

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"Had Royal Caribbean simply abided by industry standards designed to protect toddlers, this tragedy would not have occurred." - statement from he Wiegands' attorney, Michael Winkleman.

 

Sorry, Mike. The ship DOES meet/exceed industry standards. The window is high enough above the ground. There is a railing between the guests and the window. Your client's step-grandfather is the one who violated the Guest Conduct Policy....

 

Unsafe Behavior

Sitting, standing, lying or climbing on, over or across any exterior or interior railings or other protective barriers, or tampering with ship’s equipment, facilities or systems designed for guest safety is not permitted. - Guest Conduct Policy

 

Of course, the attorney will probably claim that grandpa didn't sit, stand, lay, or climb on or over anything.....:classic_rolleyes:

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I feel horrible for the family.  I don't think the Grandpa ever intended for that to happen, however I do believe he made a bad judgement call.  Unfortunately, they were lead to believe that RCI should be held responsible for what happened, and that's why they're now being dragged in the mud.  I hope this makes people realize there are cameras EVERY WHERE now.  Especially to those scumbag lawyers who exploit people for publicity and their own greed.

 

 

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3 minutes ago, Robo1098 said:

A Mexican television show played security footage taken from two different angles. It is pretty obvious when viewing them that he leaned out the window before picking her up.

 


I haven’t seen any video and have no desire to watch any. It’s just too horrible to imagine what that poor baby went through. But if it does in fact show that then as the parents of that child I would have a really hard time forgiving him. And while I’m sure he didn’t drop her on purpose, if he knew the window was open he should have known what a bad idea it was to sit her there. 
 

He may be telling them he didn’t know it was open and they want to believe him vs him doing it knowing it wasn’t safe. 

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3 minutes ago, BeachChik said:


I haven’t seen any video and have no desire to watch any. It’s just too horrible to imagine what that poor baby went through. But if it does in fact show that then as the parents of that child I would have a really hard time forgiving him. And while I’m sure he didn’t drop her on purpose, if he knew the window was open he should have known what a bad idea it was to sit her there. 
 

He may be telling them he didn’t know it was open and they want to believe him vs him doing it knowing it wasn’t safe. 

If he infact lied about what actually happened to the parents and they have now seen the video and know how it really happened, you would think that they would cancel the suit against Royal Caribbean.

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9 minutes ago, NLH Arizona said:

If he infact lied about what actually happened to the parents and they have now seen the video and know how it really happened, you would think that they would cancel the suit against Royal Caribbean.


I’m sure they are blinded by grief right now.  When stuff like this happens there is a need to blame someone. And with the grandfather saying it wasn’t his fault, the cruise line gets the blame. 

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It is hard to imagine what it would be like to lose a relative, regardless who it is, in a way such as this.  What bothers me is the fact he is not man enough to take responsibility for what he did.  We have sailed twice since this accident and I have looked at the windows and you know when they are open anywhere you stand and can look at them.  Unfortunate as this is, it is time for the family to admit it was an accident that was no fault of RCCL and do the right thing, cancel the lawsuit.  It is time for the attorney to admit he encouraged them to sue when the fault did not lie with the cruise line.  I pray they can finally put this behind them.

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