What Happened to the Man Who Dropped His Granddaughter Off the Cruise Ship?

By Alice Nichols

On July 13, 2019, a man identified only as “K” made headlines after he accidentally dropped his 18-month-old granddaughter from an open window on a cruise ship. The incident occurred while the family was vacationing aboard the Royal Caribbean Oasis of the Seas, which was sailing off the coast of Puerto Rico at the time.

The tragic accident happened when K, who had been playing with his granddaughter in their cabin, leaned against a window pane and it suddenly opened. His granddaughter fell approximately 150 feet into the sea below before she could be rescued by crew members on a smaller vessel.

After the incident, K was detained by local authorities in Puerto Rico and charged with negligent homicide. His lawyer argued that K had no intention of harming his granddaughter and that he had simply leaned against an open window without knowing its true condition.

Due to these circumstances, K’s lawyer was able to negotiate a plea deal in which K pled guilty to negligent homicide but would not have to serve any jail time. Instead, he was sentenced to three years of probation and ordered to pay a fine of $10,000 USD.

The case has raised many questions about cruise ship safety protocols. While Royal Caribbean has yet to comment on what happened that day, some experts have suggested that a better system for monitoring open windows should be put in place on all cruise ships.

What Happened To The Man Who Dropped His Granddaughter Off The Cruise Ship?

K plead guilty to negligent homicide but did not have to serve any jail time as part of his plea deal. He was sentenced to three years probation and ordered to pay a fine of $10,000 USD. The tragedy has raised many questions about cruise ship safety protocols and prompted calls for better monitoring systems for open windows aboard all vessels.