NIGHTMARE

Grandfather Pleads Guilty in 18-Month-Old’s Death From 11-Story Cruise Window Fall

He had initially pleaded guilty in his 18-month-old granddaughter’s death, but changed his plea to spare the family from a trial.

An Indiana grandfather has pleaded guilty to negligent homicide in the fatal fall of his 18-month-old granddaughter from an 11-story cruise ship window, according to the Chicago Tribune. In July 2019, Salvatore “Sam” Anello dropped his young granddaughter, Chloe Wiegand, by accident from an open window of the ship that was docked in Puerto Rico. He later said he did not realize the window was open when he held her up against it. Anello referred to the incident as a “nightmare” for his family, and said that he would drop a potential not-guilty plea to help end it. “We have found justice for Chloe,” Puerto Rico prosecutor Laura Hernández said. Anello will be sentenced December 10. An attorney for the Wiegand family said the plea means Anello will avoid jail time.