Grandfather Charged In Toddler's Falling Death On Cruise Ship

A man who accidentally dropped his granddaughter from the 11th floor of a cruise ship is facing charges of negligent homicide. Police say Salvatore Anello picked up his 18-month-old granddaughter Chloe so she could bang on the windows in the children's play area on Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas. Anello did not realize the window was open, and when Chloe went to hit the glass, she fell out and landed on the dock below. Anello was taken into custody and is being held on an $80,000 bond.

"These criminal charges are pouring salt on the open wounds of this grieving family," said Michael Winkleman, who is representing the family in a planned civil suit. "Clearly, this was a tragic accident, and the family's singular goal remains for something like this to never happen again. Had the cruise lines simply followed proper safety guidelines for windows, this accident likely would never have happened."

Anello blames Royal Caribbean for the death of his granddaughter. He says Royal Caribbean was negligent for having an open window in an area where children play.