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Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Yahoo
We finally know how a 5-year-old girl fell from a Disney cruise ship
After weeks of speculation, Florida officials have confirmed exactly how a 5-year-old girl fell overboard from the Disney Dream cruise ship last month — and the story is as dramatic as it is heroic. According to a newly released report from the Broward Sheriff's Office, the child had been climbing on a railing on the ship's fourth deck on June 29 when she lost her balance and fell backward through a porthole into the ocean. Her father, who hadn't seen the fall, jumped into the water moments later after her mother sounded the alarm. The case drew intense public interest — and harsh online criticism — after rumors circulated that the father had placed the girl on the railing to take photos. But investigators now say those rumors were entirely false. The child climbed up on her own while her parents were nearby playing shuffleboard, and a strong gust of wind may have contributed to the fall, according to a witness on board. 'The girl's mother alerted her husband, who didn't see the incident, and he jumped into the ocean to save his daughter,' the sheriff's office confirmed, as reported by the Daily Mail. Onlookers described a harrowing scene, with the mother screaming that her daughter was just five years old and couldn't swim. Her father, 37, leapt overboard and treaded water with his daughter for about 20 minutes before they were both rescued by the Disney Dream's onboard team. Cruise officials say the crew responded within minutes and praised the team's quick thinking. 'We commend our crew members for their exceptional skills and prompt actions, which ensured the safe return of both guests to the ship,' Disney Cruise Lines said in a statement. The incident occurred while the ship was sailing between the Bahamas and Fort Lauderdale. The Disney Dream, one of the line's most luxurious vessels, can carry up to 4,000 passengers. The girl and her father were both safely brought back on board, and the captain later addressed the passengers with an update. Solve the daily Crossword
New York Times
13-07-2025
- New York Times
Browns rookie RB Quinshon Judkins arrested on domestic violence, battery charge
Cleveland Browns rookie running back Quinshon Judkins was arrested Saturday on a domestic violence and battery charge, according to the Broward Sheriff's Office in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Records showed that Judkins, 21, was in jail as of Saturday night on a charge of 'touch or strike/battery/domestic violence.' ESPN reported that he is scheduled to have his initial court appearance Sunday morning. Advertisement The Browns said they are 'aware and gathering more information,' according to a team source. The Broward Sheriff's Office did not immediately respond to inquiries from The Athletic. This marks the second consecutive year a Browns second-round draft pick has been arrested in connection with domestic violence before the season. Mike Hall Jr. was arrested on domestic violence charges in August and pleaded no contest. Judkins is coming off a national championship season at Ohio State and could be the Browns' top back this season, although he hasn't been signed yet. The No. 36 pick in this year's draft rushed 1,060 yards — his third time in three seasons — and caught 22 passes for 161 yards. Judkins spent his first two seasons at Ole Miss, where he rushed for 2,725 yards and scored 31 touchdowns, averaging 104 yards per contest.
Yahoo
12-07-2025
- Yahoo
10 Broward deputies ‘recommended for termination' after Tamarac murders, union says
Ten Broward Sheriff's deputies and sergeants have been 'recommended for termination' as of Friday, according to a statement from the union, after triple murders in Tamarac in February led to an internal investigation of numerous deputies. The union's statement shared Friday evening with the South Florida Sun Sentinel does not name any of the 10 deputies or sergeants. The Sheriff's Office's Internal Affairs investigation is still open and active, spokesperson Carey Codd said in an email Friday night. On a Sunday morning in February, Nathan Gingles, 43, had shot and killed his father-in-law, David Ponzer, then took the couple's 4-year-old daughter Seraphine as he chased his estranged wife, Mary Gingles, through the neighborhood before killing her as well as Andrew Ferrin, 36, a stranger whose home she had run into to try to escape, according to the Sheriff's Office. Mary Gingles repeatedly had sought help from the Sheriff's Office, saying in a court petition that she believed her husband was going to kill her. The gun Nathan Gingles is accused of using was one he had been ordered to surrender to the Sheriff's Office, but he never did. He is now charged with three counts of first-degree murder. Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony promised to hold his deputies accountable following the deadly shooting. Broward Deputy Sheriffs Association President Dan Rakofsky in the statement called the disciplinary process 'biased' and a 'scapegoating of our members in the pursuit of public relations goals.' The statement condemned Sheriff Tony's message at a news conference held in the days following the murders, where he said his agency could have possibly saved the lives of three people but they 'failed.' 'It's very frustrating for me to have to stand here and witness this and know that we're an organization who has had our trials, from one active shooter event at the airport, to Stoneman Douglas, to one tragedy after the next,' Tony said at the February news conference. 'This evening, we see the consequences of inappropriate public statements and premature release of information. The Sheriff's press conference, three days after the heinous and horrific murders in Tamarac, was a dog whistle and clear message to what was supposed to be an unbiased Professional Standards Committee,' the statement said. 'The BSO members on the committee that voted on the recommendations concerning which administrative violations to sustain and what discipline to impose are all at-will employees who were undoubtedly in a very awkward position, as their tenure is subject to the whims of the Sheriff.' Two employees were previously fired: Deputy Stephen Tapia in June 'for failure to meet probationary standards' and Jemeriah Cooper in May, the former head of the Tamarac district who was demoted to deputy before his termination. The number of deputies who came under investigation after the murders grew over several months from seven initially to at least 15. 'Gaps in the agency's capabilities have been exposed' in the aftermath of the murders, the union's statement said, 'along with many systemic and institutional processes in need of better oversight and/or revision.' This is a developing story, so check back for updates. Click here to have breaking news alerts sent directly to your inbox.
CTV News
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Girl who fell off Disney cruise ‘was not being held' by father at time of incident, authorities say
Jet skiers pass the Disney Cruise Line ships "Fantasy," left, and "Dream" on the horizon as they sit stationary off of Cocoa Beach, Fla., in this view from Lori Wilson Park, March 24, 2021. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel via AP) Florida (WFOR) -- South Florida law enforcement is investigating after a 5-year-old girl fell overboard from a Disney Dream cruise ship Sunday, prompting her father to jump into the ocean after her. The Broward Sheriff's Office told CBS News Miami on Tuesday that the 'little girl was not being held, as erroneously reported on some social media sites,' referring to online speculation that her father may have been holding her on the ship's railing moments before the incident. The incident happened aboard the Disney Dream as it sailed between the Bahamas and Fort Lauderdale. After she fell overboard, witnesses told CBS News Miami her father jumped in after her and treaded water for more than 10 minutes. Cell phone video showed the father treading water with his daughter in his arms before handing her over to a rescue boat from the ship before getting into the boat as well. Disney cruise passenger saw something 'fly by' on the ship Monica Shannon, a passenger on board, said she was on Deck 3 with her family waiting to meet Disney princesses when she saw something unexpected. 'I kind of see something really fast flew by, I didn't think anything of it,' Shannon said. 'I just figured it was maybe a part of the show or just the experience, but about five minutes later we heard that someone flew overboard,' she said. She later learned it was a 5-year-old girl who had fallen, followed by her father jumping overboard from Deck 4 of the ship on Sunday, while it was on its way back to Fort Lauderdale from the Bahamas. Shannon noted that Deck 4 is less crowded than the other decks and contains the ship's shuffleboard courts. She also described the railing setup, noting it does have a protective barrier. 'There are little divots and spaces that make it so that you can climb, but the glass kind of protects that from happening, but she was able to climb up,' Shannon said. Disney crew member reportedly witnessed the fall Shannon said she later spoke to a crew member who told her they saw the entire incident unfold. 'The crew member who said that's her station and she was on the fourth floor, she did say that she was climbing up and the parents were playing shuffleboard and the dad jumped in after her,' Shannon said. Maritime attorney calls girl's father a hero Nicholas Gerson, an attorney with Gerson & Schwartz who specializes in maritime injuries and cruise ship accidents, said the father's actions likely saved his daughter's life. 'Most of these cases that you hear about end in tragedy. In this particular situation, the father's a hero,' Gerson said. He noted this incident was unusual because it occurred during the day, with witnesses nearby and an immediate response from the father and the ship's crew. 'Most of the man overboard cases, it's too late. There aren't any witnesses; they often happen at nighttime, and because the ships are moving at approximately 20 knots, by the time anyone figures out that someone has gone overboard, it's generally too late,' Gerson said. 'There are little divots and spaces that make it so that you can climb, but the glass kind of protects that from happening, but she was able to climb up,' Shannon said. By Bri Buckley, WFOR, via CNN Newsource
The Sun
03-07-2025
- The Sun
Truth about hero dad who leapt off Disney cruise to save daughter, 5, revealed – as glam doc seen cradling girl is named
THE truth about the hero dad who leapt off a Disney cruise ship to save his five-year-old daughter has been revealed. Police have officially shut down swirling rumours about the father's role in Sunday's terrifying incident. 7 7 7 7 It comes as the glamorous doctor seen cradling the rescued girl has now been named as Alyssa Charles. The child fell from the fourth deck of the $900 million Disney Dream around 11.30am as the vessel made its way back to Fort Lauderdale from the Bahamas. Her dad, 37, immediately dived roughly 50ft into the ocean in a desperate attempt to save her. He reportedly kept the little girl afloat for nearly 20 minutes before the pair were rescued by ship crew. Initially hailed as a hero, the dad soon became the target of online outrage amid widespread - and now debunked - claims that he had lifted the child onto a 42.5-inch railing to take a photo, causing her to fall. But on Wednesday, the Broward County Sheriff's Office officially refuted that viral theory. Sheriff Gregory Tony said the child was sitting on the railing and fell backwards through a porthole - but made it clear that the dad did not put her there. He said in a press briefing: 'After the girl's mother alerted her husband, who didn't see the incident, he jumped into the ocean to save his daughter. 'BSO detectives said after the 37-year-old father found his daughter, he treaded water until they were rescued by a tender that was launched from the ship.' Tony added that security video from the Disney Dream corroborated the family's version of events. 'This family is so blessed. It's great to be able to respond to good news rather than what could have been a tragic outcome,' he said. The girl's fall triggered an immediate man overboard alarm and emergency code "Mr MOB" across the ship, launching a high-speed rescue effort that played out in front of hundreds of stunned passengers. Witnesses described frantic scenes as life rings were hurled into the ocean and a yellow rescue craft raced from the vessel to reach the dad-daughter duo. Passenger Nikki Samsill Jackson told the Daily Mail: 'When they were rescued, dad had his arms around his child and he was treading water. 'Everybody was cheering.' Passenger Chandler, who spoke to People, said she heard a loud thud after the fall. 'It sounded like hitting pavement, nothing like if you jump into a pool,' she said, describing an 'awful' scream she believed came from the girl's mother. 7 7 Glam doctor revealed Once pulled from the water, it wasn't her dad but a mystery woman seen cradling the rescued girl that captured attention online. That woman has now been identified as Dr Alyssa Charles, the Disney Dream's lead physician. Charles, a pediatric and emergency care specialist from South Africa, was seen holding the girl gently in her lap, stroking her hair as she assessed her condition. The footage went viral, with people praising her for the heartwarming care she provided. 'She was holding her like her own!' one user posted. 'The rescuer rubbing her head,' another wrote, adding a crying emoji. Charles, who joined Disney Cruise Line in August last year, has previously worked at the Red Cross and travelled the world as a cruise doctor. Her sister Jasmine confirmed her identity in a proud Instagram post: 'That's my sister! Doctor on the rescue boat!' The girl appeared healthy after the terrifying ordeal, though her dad was reportedly injured while keeping her afloat and was taken to hospital after the ship returned to port. Police declined to specify the nature of his injuries. Disney has since praised its staff for their swift response. A spokesperson said: 'The crew aboard the Disney Dream swiftly rescued two guests from the water. 'We commend our crew members for their exceptional skills and prompt actions. 'This incident highlights the effectiveness of our safety protocols.' Cruise officials are continuing to review how the girl was able to fall though cops have made it clear that no foul play is suspected. The Disney Dream, which carries up to 3,500 passengers and can reach speeds of 25mph, was last refurbished in 2024. It docked in Fort Lauderdale on Monday before continuing its five-day itinerary to Nassau and Disney Lookout Cay. The cruise is due to return to Florida on Saturday. 7
