- Salvatore Anello, whose 18-month-old granddaughter died last year after falling from the 11th floor of a Royal Caribbean International cruise ship, is pleading guilty to negligent homicide, his lawyer told Business Insider.
- Anello had hoisted his granddaughter up to a wall of windows in a play area , believing there was glass in front of her.
- Anello said in a statement that he was pleading guilty "to try to help end part of this nightmare for my family, if possible."
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories .
ADVERTISEMENT
The grandfather of a toddler who fell from the 11th floor of a Royal Caribbean cruise ship is pleading guilty to negligent homicide to help end his family's 'nightmare' (RCL)
Keith Bedford/Reuters
ADVERTISEMENT
Recommended articles
Salvatore Anello, the grandfather of an 18-month-old toddler who died last year after falling from the 11th floor of a Royal Caribbean International cruise ship, is pleading guilty to negligent homicide, his lawyer, Michael Winkleman, told Business Insider.
Anello had previously pleaded not guilty after the death of granddaughter Chloe Wiegand, but in a statement released by Winkleman and as reported by NBC News on Tuesday, Anello said he was changing his plea "to try to help end part of this nightmare for my family, if possible."
As part of Anello's new plea deal, he'll be allowed to serve probation in his home state of Indiana instead of spending time in jail, Winkleman said. The hearing during which Anello will change his plea has not yet been scheduled.
ADVERTISEMENT
Royal Caribbean did not immediately respond to Business Insider's requests for comment.
Wiegand's parents sued Royal Caribbean in December, alleging that Royal Caribbean was negligent by leaving open the window she fell through. Anello had lifted Wiegand up to a railing behind the open window, believing there was glass in front of her.
Her family believes she fell while trying to hit the glass like she did during her brother's hockey games, which ended up not being there, according to an NBC News story from July.
"In my experience, any elevated public place I've been with that much glass has always been a protective barrier," Anello said in his statement.
Wiegand's mother, Kimberly, told NBC's "Today" show last year that she blamed Royal Caribbean for her daughter's death.
ADVERTISEMENT
"We have a lot of questions primarily, why is there an open window in the kids' play area 11 stories off the ground?" she said.
A Royal Caribbean representative said at the time that the company was "deeply saddened by this incident, and our hearts go out to the family."
- Read more:
- Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian Cruise Line are taking a financial beating from the coronavirus here's how much the companies predict it will hurt earnings this year
- The coronavirus has sent shockwaves through the cruise industry, spurring Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian Cruise Line to take drastic measures to keep their passengers from getting sick
- These are the 4 nastiest cruise ships
- The cruise industry has been rocked by the coronavirus. Here's you how can find out if your ship has been impacted.
See Also:
ADVERTISEMENT
- A lawyer who represents cruise-ship workers explains one thing passengers do that's terrible for some crew members
- These are the 16 most unreliable car brands for 2020
- Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian Cruise Line are taking a financial beating from the coronavirus here's how much the companies predict it will hurt earnings this year
SEE ALSO: Ex-Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian Cruise Line workers reveal what it's really like to live at sea
FOLLOW BUSINESS INSIDER AFRICA
ADVERTISEMENT
Recommended articles
Africa's gaming gold rush: Unveiling the surge in online gambling
Seven African countries added to Meta's AI service coverage
10 African countries with the lowest inflation rates in 2024
Davido launches his label Nine+ in partnership with UnitedMasters
Nigeria's economic ranking drops to fourth in Africa
Moscow inaugurates its House of Africa
The CBN justifies $2b billion loss in forex, dispelling Naira defense claims
10 best airports in Africa in 2024
