BLAME GAME

Royal Caribbean Blames ‘Irresponsible’ Grandfather for Toddler’s Fatal Plunge

The cruise liner says it has footage proving Salvatore Anello knew an 11th floor window was open when he lifted his granddaughter up to it.

Royal Caribbean has placed the blame for the death of an Indiana toddler who fell from the 11th floor of one of its cruise ships squarely on the girl’s grandfather, who the cruise operator alleges was “reckless and irresponsible” in the moments leading up to his granddaughter’s death. In a new court filing, Royal Caribbean says a lawsuit against it alleging negligence in the death of Chloe Wiegand should be dismissed because the girl’s grandfather, Salvatore Anello, leaned out of an open window on the ship’s 11th floor before the toddler’s fatal plunge, meaning he knew the window was open before he held her out of the window. “His actions, which no reasonable person could have foreseen, were reckless and irresponsible and the sole reason why Chloe is no longer with her parents,” the cruise operator said. Anello, 51, is already facing negligent homicide charges in the 18-month-old’s death, but he has maintained he had no idea the window was open when he lifted her up to it before losing his grip last summer.