Grandfather Charged In Death Of Toddler On Cruise Ship

Transformer

Well-Known Member
Also this is his step-granddaugher, which adds a further dimension to the story imo.

I would hope not since he’s been around the child since birth. However he has been in denial over the exact events. Was he extremely careless and didn’t show good judgement....yes. He also found out that he’s not as strong as he thought. Especially with a wriggling 1 year old.

my spouse has always played “SuperBaby” with our kids and grandkids as babies. He would place them belly down on the palm of one hand and fly them through the air. DS told DH that he was too old to play that game anymore....too late....GD had already completed her flight.
 
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Kindheart

Well-Known Member
How did he not know the window was open ? You can definetly tell if it’s open or not ! Perhaps he was drunk,stupid or didn’t want to look after the grandchild anymore, so this is his step granddaughter wouldn’t surprise me if he got rid of her and made it look like an accident. . Where were her parents ?
 

Kanky

Well-Known Member
I am having a hard time believing he decided to drop the baby out of a window on purpose, step grandchild or not.

I don’t believe that blended families are a good idea, as stepchildren and half siblings are usually harmed emotionally, if not physically. This still seems more like carelessness than malice. Maybe he has dementia?
 

Theresamonet

Well-Known Member
It’s not impossible, but I find it hard to believe that him being the step grandfather has anything to do with this. Or that he dropped the baby out of a cruise ship window in front of many people on purpose.

I think he just made an idiotic move. Like a previous poster stated, I think he over estimated his strength, and a toddler’s desire to dangle out a ship window. The child probably had a mini freak out and that caused him to lose his grip. :nono:

I think what makes him a bad person, and not just a grossly negligent idiot, is this lie of being colorblind, not seeing that tinted windows were open, lifting baby up to bang on glass like at her brothers hockey games... He really laid that lie on thick.
 

Transformer

Well-Known Member
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This is a photo of the re-enactment. There’s a huge gap between the railing and the window. How was she going to bang on it? Reportedly it’s an 18 inch gap.

She could have fallen in the space between the handrail and the window. No reasonable person would execute his actions. He assumed the risk and therefore must take the blame.
 
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Crackers Phinn

Either A Blessing Or A Lesson.
Marriages end when one bio parent is involved with the accidental death of a child because usually the other parent can't get over blaming them. I can't imagine a step parent or grandparents relationship with the blood relatives being able to survive something like this.

It seems like it was legit an accident and the step grandfather is purposely blocking out the events because for real, nobody sane and rational wants to be responsible for someone else's death let alone the death of someone they loved and a baby at that.
 

msbettyboop

Well-Known Member
View attachment 454973

This is a photo of the re-enactment. There’s a huge gap between the railing and the window. How was she going to bang on it? Reportedly it’s an 18 inch gap.

She could have fallen in the space between the handrail and the window. No reasonable person would execute his actions. He assumed the risk and therefore must take the blame.

Omg. There is no way in 100 million years I would ever hold a baby over a railing that way. My neices would have wriggled like a fiend to escape. This is common sense. He's crazy.
 

BrickbyBrick

Well-Known Member
The ONLY way I could live with myself after foolishly causing my grandchild's death is by going to jail. And that still wouldn't be enough. I could never look my family in the eye after something like this.

ETA: I visited my brother in-law with my kids (who were just getting over a stomach bug). he has a 1 year old daughter. Even with the best intentions (hand washing, not touching the baby), my infant niece and her mom both got sick. I called regularly to check on them because I KNEW they caught the bug from us. I felt so bad.

I couldn't live with myself if something worse resulted. In this story, there are no winners. Jail or no jail, Grandpa is screwed either way.
 

Farida

Well-Known Member
I am having a hard time believing he decided to drop the baby out of a window on purpose, step grandchild or not.

I don’t believe that blended families are a good idea, as stepchildren and half siblings are usually harmed emotionally, if not physically. This still seems more like carelessness than malice. Maybe he has dementia?
That’s why he was charged with “negligent” homicide instead of murder or manslaughter.
 

Farida

Well-Known Member
Man, I cannot make out the picture but if he did lean out of the window dude should just cop a plea already. The family wants to win the civil suit is why I think he isn’t doing that. Because in some jurisdictions you can get probation for negligent homicide. Why risk a trial? Because pleading guilty means game over for the civil suit.
 

cocosweet

Well-Known Member
Man, I cannot make out the picture but if he did lean out of the window dude should just cop a plea already. The family wants to win the civil suit is why I think he isn’t doing that. Because in some jurisdictions you can get probation for negligent homicide. Why risk a trial? Because pleading guilty means game over for the civil suit.
 

dancinstallion

Well-Known Member
Man, I cannot make out the picture but if he did lean out of the window dude should just cop a plea already. The family wants to win the civil suit is why I think he isn’t doing that. Because in some jurisdictions you can get probation for negligent homicide. Why risk a trial? Because pleading guilty means game over for the civil suit.

Well he copped a plea deal. That second video is really clear and he didnt set her on any railing. He lifted her high above and clearly passed over the railing to hang her out of the window. :nono:
her feet didnt even touch the railing.
 

Theresamonet

Well-Known Member

He is still lying in his statement though. No, a protective wall of glass didn’t just disappear. He leaned out of that open window, before picking up that child. :mad:

I would feel okay about the plea and the probation, if he’d just stop lying, and say he made a horrible error in judgement. But him continuing to try to blame it on the cruise line, or magical forces, makes me feel he needs some jail time to really reflect on his actions.
 
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