Florida authorities have released new details surrounding the June 29 incident aboard the Disney Dream cruise ship, where a 5-year-old girl fell 50 feet into the ocean after being told by her mother to pose for a photo in front of an open porthole, as reported by The New York Post.

According to a report from the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, the child lost her balance and fell into the water at approximately 11:29 a.m. while the ship was returning to Florida from the Bahamas. Her father jumped into the ocean roughly 45 seconds later in an effort to save her.

Initial reports circulating online suggested that the father had lifted his daughter onto the railing before she slipped. However, police investigators confirmed that surveillance footage and witness statements indicated it was the girl’s mother who encouraged her to climb onto the railing to take a picture.

A father jumped off the Disney Dream cruise ship after his daughter fell overboard.

He held onto her and stayed afloat for about 20 minutes before they were rescued. pic.twitter.com/uUXLIqbpkc

— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) July 1, 2025

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The report said the mother “offered for her daughter to take a picture in the porthole” and believed there was glass covering the opening.

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“[The mom] assumed the porthole had a window or plexiglass, and she thought that [her daughter] would be caught by the glass, but instead, she kept falling,” the document stated.

Investigators found that the mother had taken several photos of her daughter in similar poses during the trip. “She provided me with a picture of [the girl] laying in a porthole with a window on it,” one deputy noted.

The mother reportedly captured multiple images during the accident sequence that, when viewed in succession, showed the child climbing up before falling backward into the water.

Detective Christopher Favitta, who examined the scene, rejected the mother’s later claim that Disney Cruise Line was responsible, writing that “upon looking at the window myself, as a prudent person, I immediately saw that the window was open to the air, and did not have a covering.”

He added, “This act, facilitated by [the mother], placed the child in a life-threatening situation.”

The father, who was walking about 10 feet ahead at the time, turned to see his daughter in the ocean and immediately ran to find help before jumping into the water.

Following the mayday call, ship personnel launched a rescue boat within three minutes, and both the father and daughter were pulled from the water by 11:50 a.m.

Disney Cruise SOS
Dad Jumps Ship to Save Daughter.. Ocean Rescue on Cam!
Heroes pic.twitter.com/7mdY8K8GuR

— Global (@GlobaltrekX) June 30, 2025

The child was evaluated by the ship’s medical staff and later transported with her father to Broward Health Medical Center. The girl escaped without injury, while her father received treatment for an undisclosed medical issue.

Authorities initially praised the father for his quick response and later issued a public clarification after false rumors suggested he was to blame.

Detective Favitta recommended criminal charges against the mother, but the Broward County State Attorney’s Office declined prosecution.

“While the defendant’s conduct is arguably negligent and irresponsible, it does not rise to the egregious level of conduct necessary to establish criminal culpable negligence,” Assistant State Attorney Melissa Kelly stated in a September 16 email.

The investigation has since been closed, with officials labeling the event an avoidable accident.

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