It was the holiday of a lifetime for the Wiegand family – kids, mothers and fathers, grandmothers and grandfathers were on what they thought was a relaxing family trip.
But before the ship even departed from Puerto Rico, 18-month-old Chloe Wiegand, the baby of the family, plunged 11 stories to her death when she fell out of the window of Freedom of the Seas.
Whose heart wouldn’t go out to the family. Especially after so many gorgeous pictures of this “little angel” were posted on Facebook.
Earlier this week, the parents of Chloe appeared on NBC’s Today show – their first interview since the accident.
The family said they will be suing Royal Caribbean for “not having a safer situation on the 11th floor of that cruise ship.”
The family’s attorney Michael Winkleman has disputed the original report that was filed by the Puerto Rican police and said that Chloe asked her grandfather, Salvatore Anello to lift her up to bang on the glass window.
Mr Winkleman said: “The grandfather didn’t drop the child, the child fell due to an open glass pane that should have been closed securely.”
“Her grandfather thought there was glass just like everywhere else, but there was not, and she was gone in an instant.”
But while fingers have been pointed at the cruise line and its safety measures, when do cruisers take responsibility for their own well-being?
Do we really want to lock every window on a cruise ship in case someone holds their child in a position where it can fall out? Do we want to turn these vessels into play pens or cells where no-one can do themselves any harm, however they behave?
In the family’s interview, there was no questioning their decision or the actions of Chloe’s grandfather.
Original reports from the Puerto Rican police say that Chloe had been playing a game with her grandfather, when she slipped out his arms and fell out of the window.
The reports also indicate that he had put Chloe on the railing of the H20 Zone, an area which is a popular hangout spot for guests, when she fell out of the window.
But the family have changed their account and are saying that it was RCL’s responsibility to close the window.
As many cruisers would know, cruise lines do leave the windows on the upper deck open for fresh air. These windows, which are above hip height, are tinted to show whether a window is closed or open, as shown in the photo above.
Do we really want to ruin the cruise experience by locking every doors and window from the fresh sea air just in case?
Many Cruise Passenger readers share a similar view – why was she even near the railing of the window in the first place?
One reader posted a comment saying, “Just came off a cruise in the Mediterranean from the same cruise line and I know when the windows are open you get a lovely breeze so I can’t see how you would not know the window was open.
“There is something called supervision so if you’re not prepared to do it then don’t take toddlers on cruises. I feel for the family and the little one, but I can’t see where the cruise line is at fault.”
Another reader said, “I’ve been on many RCCL cruises and the pool desks are all similar and guests can open and close windows as they wish to let breeze in etc. I am 170cm tall and the railing is just under my armpits. The windows are tinted and there is usually salt spray all over them so easy to see if they are open or closed.
“The Grandfather may have poor vision but there is no way possible the little girl would have fallen if she wasn’t lifted up. So sad for the family, nothing can bring her back and it’s a tragedy but please don’t blame the cruise line.”
So, while the accident is tragic, as some other readers pointed out, money is not the answer to solving an issue like this.
“To lose a child would be devastating, but please, look at the circumstances. Why must we blame/sue those with money “for compensation”, rather than look at the real tragedy? A child has been lost and those left behind must live with the guilt forever. Money will not help that.”
I have read all 46 comments regarding Chloe’s death and look back to my (30+) RCCL cruises and kids climbing up to open windows on deck 11 on both Voyager & Explorer. I have witnessed many such events the most recent on Explorer in March this year. You tell the kids to get down but they simply ignore you. Their parents are usually sitting nearby drinking and could not care less. I have spoken and written to Royal about lack of supervision of children and their response “We are child friendly”. A big cop out. If Royal had proper supervision in the area this would not have happened. Having said this it does not release parents from their “Duty of Care”. RCCL have abandoned their “Duty of Care”. This was always an accident awaiting to happen. In this case sadly the death of Chloe, and unless something positive is done it will sadly happen again.
I’ve been on rccl ships several times. Grandfather is lying. Those windows are four feet off the ground with a railing in front of them. Unless he’s blind he knew window was open. They are tinted blue so you can easily tell which ones are open. The cruise line is not responsible to what happened to that darling baby. Grandfather is to blame and I don’t know how he’ll be able to live with himself.
Yes. This family suffered a horrific loss. Yes. Grandpa will have to live with this for the rest of his life. I cannot even imagine. However, my empathy immediately faded when the family hired a civil lawyer to sue the cruise line before even planning a funeral. Grandpa picked the child up and stood her on a railing (NOT a jungle gym) in front of an open window that she could not have reached on her own. How is this the cruise line’s fault? Mom claims they are suing to make change so this never happens to anyone else. It hasn’t happened to anyone before. Why? Because other people observed the boundaries and safety measures that already existed. This could just as easily happened on the balcony of their private cabin. Should we not allow cruise ships to have any open spaces or fresh air at all? How far must we go to protect people from themselves? While I am sorry for the loss this family has suffered, I don’t believe anyone should profit from dropping a child out a window. Nor should the rest of us have to pay more for someone else’s tragic mistake.
Thank you for voicing the opinion of the majority of people I have asked. It’s a tragedy, but Royal is not the one to blame. There is a railing there for a reason – have we not learned at zoos amd other attractions that you are never to place a child on a railing? The railing is not for show or support, but to keep people from leaning too far out the window. So, why would you place a small child on the railing when they can see perfectly fine at ground level where the windows do not open and close? The blame is on the individual lifting the child up and who is not aware of their surroundings. You’re on an open air deck after all.
It is totally refreshing that someone has finally published an accurate description of the physical design of the windows, their height and purpose. Most journalists simply jumped on the ability to gain a headline to attract the uninformed. I have sailed that ship several times and the bottom of that window is nearly chest high. No child could reach or climb that height unassisted. Why would anyone sit a child on a rail that high without an arm wrapped tightly about the child. Really tragic but completely unavoidable. Total parental responsibility.
Here is a good video from a couple of years ago which will give those unfamiliar with cruise ship pool decks an idea of how narrow the hand rail is and how high up those windows are. This is the same ship. Those windows open for ventilation and if you have ever been on a cruise, you would be aware that they are opened and closed by passengers and crew to ensure comfort for passengers using this area. Due to the face that the areas where all of the windows are on this ship is an undercroft under the deck 12 walking track, the air gets very stagnant without ventilation. It would be a OSHA violation for these windows to be fixed.
https://youtu.be/F5e6b2VOdys
Was alcohol involved? Just curious.
Thank you for writing this. What happened is a tragedy, of course. This article does not dimish that. However, We are losing any sense of personal responsibility in our nation. There is no way you can’t see that a window is open. The windows are clearly tinted for a reason. It very much sounds like the grandfather wanted to lean the baby near the open windos for fresh air. It’s a very risky move, and things like this can happen when you do that.
Had the child walked to the railing and fallen overboard, then yes I could see that that ship may need to overhaul the railing. But if a child is unable to fall overboard on their own, due to the height of the railing, then that’s different. Into the mix is a grandfather who picks up the child to where she is no longer safe, puts her to a window that is open, and I am sure the vast majority of windows would be closed, and then lets go of his grip. How RCI is responsible has me puzzled. I’d be saying the grandfather should face the prospect of time behind bars for manslaughter. But that’s just me.
The first time I read the news of this baby’s tragic death, I thought ‘how is that family going to find blame with the cruise line,?” I found out pretty quickly, when the “distraught ” family hired a lawyer the next day. The cruise line was not negligent, the grandpa was.
Sad as this is, it is the grandfather’s fault but I also question where were the parents.
The family need to take 100% responsibility!
Why should all the windows be locked….what about the deck railings.
Maybe cruises should then ban all children under a certain age!
This makes me so angry as they are quick enough to want to sue….shame on the parents.
My daughter is almost 30 but as a child she was NEVER out of my sight.
I hope the judge finds the cruise line innocent of any wrong doing.
I don’t think the parents realise that if they ‘win’ this case, those costs will be passed on to everyone else who goes on a cruise.
This was a terrible accident….so instead of wanting to lay blame on anyone else, take this time to grieve and honour your little girl.
So sad for family, however the paperwork clearly informs passengers NOT to sit or put toddlers on railings whethet Windows or not.
Cruise should not allowed kids in first place us without kids don’t go to cruise to.lisen kids craying screaming throwing tantrums period. When it comes to this family suing Cruise company ridiculous Americans are known to sue each other for all kind of rubbish no class like us Europeans.
The lack of humanness in the article and many of the responses is gut wrenching. Whether you are a parent or not, this incident should have an impact on your heart. There is only empty sympathy with tremendous amounts of judgement. The purpose of suing doesn’t always have to do with money. Is the responsibility and change that can be generated by suing worth it? Absolutely. Suing can create change in policies and procedures that could have prevented this and I fully believe THAT is the sole purpose of the family suing. Do you think that any amount of money will replace what they have lost and experienced? Absolutely not. There isn’t a single thing that could take away their immense pain. They are living a nightmare that they cannot wake up from. How many times have you done something that you regretted? Even something so iginificant and small. How many times have you done something without thinking, because it’s something you’ve always done and maybe there was a consequence to it even if small? I guarantee every single person can think of something. It’s so easy to judge when we think we are in a position where we are faultless. But we are not. We are human and imperfect.
To the family, my heart is with you. I can’t even begin to comprehend what you are going through. I commend your bravery to even speak about what happened. As a mom of a 14 mom old, I am devestated for you. I will be thinking of you always.
One day at a time, for little Chloe.
I am sorry that the baby died. I was a landlord in Vermont for years and we had a three your old go out of the third story window to the concrete below. The child was bruised but lived. The mother and LAWYER sued me for negligence for not having caging on the window to keep the child from falling out It went to court and the court ruled the mother was totally to blame for allowing the child to jump up and down on a mattress in front of an open but screened window. I believe that the writer of the article captured it correctly. The cruise line IS NOT RESPONSIBLE
Having been on that ship many times and looked out those windows, there is no way to convince me that anyone other than the grandfather is wholly to blame. And based on how quickly they lawyered up before the kid was even buried makes me think it might even have been planned for a payout. The grandfather says he didn’t know it was open. Anyone with one active brain cell could tell that the panel was open: the windows are green and the wind coming through them is usually pretty steady. This was intentional. Tragic for the girl. Better for all of us that they will never be on an RCI ship again. Loyal to Royal!
I feel for the family and initially I thought the cruise is responsible, unfortunately holding any child up towards a window and balcony is risky I wouldn’t dare,when i took my family to gold coast we stayed at a high rise apartment, now my baby wasn’t even walking but I refused to even take him onto the balcony so i had it locked the whole time, the thought of my baby near a balcony made me paranoid . So basically cant understand why the grandfather lifted a little girl near a window in the first place open or closed, I do think that since that particular area is for children a open window with no mesh is not a good method either, kids are crazy and do stupid things parents are also sometimes not vigilant so a mesh to prevent anyone falling through would be ideal, I feel that both parties here need to take responsibility for what happened, yes the granddad made a mistake but a open window with nothing covering like a mesh is madness, you can still get ventilation with a bit of protecting!!
Those who share the family view of RC responsibly for the accident had never been in a Cruise. Someone has to be blind to not notice the difference between open/closed window in the pool area.
They don’t have a case, but they have to try it anyway. The logic behind the legal action against Royal Caribbean is to avoid the charges of “involuntary murder” on the grand father. If they win the case against RC, the grand father is automatically “not guilty” of murdering the girl. If they lose the case, the grand father could go to jail for negligence and involuntary murder. It’s as simple as that.
A tragedy. I know the ship. The windows clearly are needed for cross ventilation. They are tinted and it’s quite obvious. The upper row, the ones that can slide open, at not within reach of a child. The lower edge is higher than waist high on an adult! I’m afraid grandpa is at fault and has to live with though thoughts and mental images forever. A tragedy.
Are we going to surround every area of the ship with fixed windows so no one can fall overboard? How about the promenade deck? The walking track? How your balcony? People fall off those areas too.
A horrible tragedy.
The only way large companies take action or prevent further accidents is when they get sued to. For anyone to suggest people sue just for money or lawyers only win sadly is missing the Forrest through of all the trees. This is a tragedy with preventable negligence. There is no amount of money that could replace that beautiful child but I hope they get plenty. THEN the windows will be secure, signs posted or common sense will be used.
Thank you for posting exactly what so many of us have been thinking b. Had the toddler been left alone on the floor to play, she would not have been able to climb up to the open window on her own. Her grandfather picked her up and put her up there. Why is that the ship’s fault? I understand that the family wants to take the blame away from the grandfather for putting her up there, or the mother for letting him do it. But the family needs to accept that she had help getting up there and it wasn’t anyone from the ship who did that.
No amount of money is going to bring this beautiful child Chloe back. The accident is terribly sad for everyone. The Grandfather is the only person at fault, not the Cruise Company at all. Who in their right mind would sit an eighteen month old child on an open window railing, the same as sitting a child on the deck railing. The poor Grandfather will have to live with this the rest of his life. Does this family want Cruise Companies to enclose the whole decks around the ships?? What next!! And as for people saying there are no open windows in building eleven storeys high, that is incorrect, I live in a luxury apartment building of nineteen storeys and all window open to the outside, but are high enough so a child could not fall through the window, but if a was silly enough to hold a child on the aluminium edging, of course they could fall. I am terribly sad for the whole family in this tragic accident.
Thank you for having a spine and being willing to write what most journalists don’t have the guts to do. What you wrote is the sad and honest truth. It’s strange how many negative comments are on your article when the twitterverse and most other comment areas all overwhelmingly support your position. I hope your article gets more traffic because truth when unpopular should be rewarded.
For those saying that windows that high up shouldn’t be open think about these 2 things, one story up is the deck which has the same height railings and NO windows and if tge child has been placed on the railing and the window was closed they could have just as easily fell backwards on to the floor.
Come on, people. While this was an extremely tragic and horrifying incident, the fact is, that the parents and family are, and always should be responsible for their children. DON’T TRY TO SHIFT BLAME TO WHERE IT DOESN’T BELONG. The plain fact is, that the child would’ve never been able to reach up, and fall out of the window on her own. Her grandfather was holding her up over it. PERSONALLY, I WOULDN’T DREAM OF HOLDING MY TODDLER BY A WINDOW OR BALCONY OF ANY KIND. I’m sorry to point out the obvious to those who insist on seeing RCCL as being at fault for this mind-bending accident, but THIS IS REALLY A MATTER OF PLAIN COMMON SENSE. Unfortunately, so many are quick to point fingers at the cruise line, because it’s easy to feel terrible for a mother who lost her child so tragically, but the cruise line is ‘faceless’, and has big pockets. That’s Psychology 101. While it’s a very hard pill to swallow, and there’s so much pain and suffering surrounding this, we need to look at the hardest of all facts. Yes, it was a sickening and completely avoidable accident, but the family was at fault. PERIOD. And still, as a mother myself, my heart truly remains broken for their loss.
The grandfather was negligent. Period. There was no reason to hold the child up to a window that’s about five feet off of the ground, and there especially was no reason to place her on a HAND railing. It makes me wonder if he had been doing this throughout the whole cruise but utterly screwed up at the end, and then started blaming the open window instead of himself. As others have pointed out (and even this article) you can clearly tell which windows are open and which windows are closed. It’s very suspicious to me that the story has been changed a few times to suit the family, and especially that they lawyered up less than 24 hours after the incident. But hey, America is the land of not taking responsibility and having others pay for your mistakes, right??
I do feel for the family and this is a horrible tragedy, but even if they do get a big payday from this, it’s not going to bring the child back.
Thank you for writing this article. There are several others who feel just as you do, and I hope that this doesn’t affect the cruise industry.
Why would anyone lift a child to place on the bar rail. The Grandfather just lost his grip when she squirmed to get closer to the open window to look out is what seem to have happened. Very tragic and my heart aches for them. But true to form take responsibility for your actions instead of starting a legal battle The grandfather knew it was open. You feel the breeze when standing next to the open windows
Had it not been for the grandfather she would not have been put in a dangerous situation, half a million people made that trip and lived the only difference on this one was a negligent grandfather. And wait if they have a video it will show the grandfather doing something he shouldnt have, and the parents are opening themselves up to have the world to see this video and show the incompetence.
I agree with the author. We all must assume some responsibility for our own safety on cruise ships. Should each balcony be wrapped in a wire cage? When I went on my first cruise 30 years ago, there would be a dark area on one of the outside decks for stargazing. Has anyone experienced that lately?
Kimberley Wiegand said that there are “a million things” the cruise company could have done to prevent the death of her 18-month old daughter.
And there was 1 thing the Grandfather could have done to prevent this incident.
There is only one party at fault in this and it’s not Royal Carabbean.
What was the bloody grandfather thinking putting a child near any window. I been on three cruises with royal Caribbean an there safety is First Class .
I feel for the family an sorrow for the poor baby. You can’t blame the ship if some fool opens the sliding window an why put a child in danger by sitting her on the rail an not a good grip on her, idiot of a grandfather.
I believe the bottom line is the blame lays with the grandfather. The windows were high up and tinted, not where a child would be able to reach by themselves. He should have been more viligent in making sure the surroundings were safe. She could have fallen forward off the railing even if the window was shut. Who sits a small child up there and lets go of them? As awful as it seems, the changed story now seems to just be a push for cash.
Yes the grandfather was negligent but… tall buildings don’t have opening windows for a reason… When you design things you have to allow for the lowest common denominator unfortunately.
I’d imagine the family probably has a fairly strong legal case.
Is this like a Michael Jackson thing balance a child over the edge and see what happens I don’t think so
I agree with Pamela McInnarney, the cruise line has a responsibility to see that all areas are safe and I think your article is thoughtless. This area is open on three sides, so the ‘breeze’ excuse doesn’t cut it. Why you would have windows that open in a recreation area that is 11 storeys high; its inexcusable. I’m afraid this forum is just a cheer squad for the cruise line industry. You imply in previous articles that its local governments fault if popular tourist spots are inundated with tourist from cruise ships; the cruise industry takes little responsibility for this. I have been on a number of cruises, but no longer do so as I have seen the damage they do to popular destinations and the local populace. I have witnessed four large cruise liners docking in Porta, Majorca in one day, flooding the city with people. Maybe its time that the cruise industry starts taking responsibility for its own shortcomings and stops blaming others.
The family and the lawyer have gone to great lengths to say how Chloe liked to bang on windows like at her brothers hockey games, even releasing a photo of her doing this while standing on the ground. The windows on the ship in the pool area go to the ground so Chloe could have done exactly the same as at the hockey game. Why did the Grandfather lift her to the railing to do this? They were near the end of the cruise when this incident happened. The family would have been familiar with the pool area by this time and would have known the windows could be opened and that they were tinted. There is no excuse for lifting a small child to the railing when she could see just fine at floor level and there is no excuse for not knowing the window was open.
I think you have a cheek writing such a story. Yes, we all take responsibility for actions taken ( or should) however, this is a bank of windows in a children’s play area – end of story. The newer ships do not have opening windows, its a design fault and nobody their right mind would put opening windows on a wall of glass! That’s like putting an opening window in a hotel room on the eleventh floor!! In some lights, you would not even see that a window was open. I think it disrespectful and also premature for you to write such a pathetic article and even worse for others to start pointing fingers. Not one of you was there, shame on the lot of you.
“Why must we blame/sue those with money “for compensation”, rather than look at the real tragedy? ”
Why indeed? Because lawyers get involved, that’s why. The family’s attorney will be the only winner in this sad case.
I am appalled that people think that suing a company for their incompetence is acceptable. There are so many factors to realise that the windows are open or closed, therefore this is negligence falls on the parents/grandfather etc… you need to be responsible for taking care of your kids/self and not do ridiculous actions as this grandfather did!!
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Sad as it is, but the grandfather should not have lifted the kid up as if scaring her! He needs to be charged with wilful homicide!
It is a tragic situation, BUT the family are solely responsible for their children . STOP trying to blame someone else for your stupid behaviour and decisions.
We have been on 8 Royal cruises and absolutely love their ships. The thing that stands out in my mind is the fact the opening section of windows is certainly high enough for children to not be able to reach. The bottom glass section goes to the floor, so there was no need for the grandfather to lift the child at all. Must be terrible for him but please dont blame the cruise company
Parent / Grandparents should always be responsible for their own and any children in their supervision’s safety. I took 2 grand daughters on a cruise along with their mother and their great grand mother , we all visually supervised them but still let them have fun. NEVER in a million years would I have let a child under 6 looked over a balcony or open railing or window.
I agree. The grandfather should bear the responsibility for lifting the child up at an open window and not holding her tightly enough. It is not the fault of the cruise line.
What person in their right minds puts a child on a window anyways.. its a dangerous thing to do ..we all know toddlers wriggle and squirm ,so why do it.. Im sure Royal Caribbean did all they could in light of what happened..Blaming them for an open window is wrong..The grandfather probably opened that window to place his daughter on it..
On the cruises ive been on for RCI..I have never seen a crew member open those windows ,its always been the passengers..
I feel for their loss ,I truly do, But to blame RCI for it..No that wrong.. I agree with the points Michelle made too..
thank you for saying this…
Thanks for publishing this. All the other media outlets are just publishing the family’s complaints without any investigation. If the family had behaved differently in the aftermath of this tragedy, the public would be more sympathetic. Reportedly the following took plavr: father began taking photos of the pool deck almost immediately after the fall, the family did not see the incident refused to view offered footage but publicly claimed Royal refused to release it, all members refused to give statements to police, and now they have hit the tall show circuit a ting like victims of royal. The mother revealed sensitive information about their remaining child on international television rather than shielding him from further harm. Apparently royal paid for and took care of all of their accommodation and travel expenses after the tragedy. I wonder if they are conflating royals kindness and generosity with a sign of guilt. The fa t that they immediately released that photo of chloe at a hockey game as justification of their expectations that the entire world conform to their wishes in so far as glass coverage is pathetic and shows their sense of entertainment. Royal has had millions of passengers and this is the first time this has happened. It is highly unlikely that any other similar incident would ever occur, at least unintentionally. This family needs to get mental health treatment and stop blaming everyone but themselves. Mother – we neither need nor want you to ensure this never happens again.