Was the Disney cruise girl dangled by her dad before falling? Police respond to viral rumour

Earlier this week, a five-year-old girl fell off the fourth deck of a Disney cruise ship and into the Atlantic Ocean below. Her father soon followed her, with rescue boats picking them both up 20 minutes later after they had strayed further from the ship, travelling at 25mph.

“The crew aboard the Disney Dream swiftly rescued two guests from the water. We commend our crew members for their exceptional skills and prompt actions, which ensured the safe return of both guests to the ship within minutes,” Disney Cruise Lines said in a statement.

“We are committed to the safety and well-being of our guests, and this incident highlights the effectiveness of our safety protocols.”

Though the girl was left relatively unscathed by the terrifying ordeal, nasty rumours have since spread that accuse her father of dangerously sitting her on the railing, or even dangling her over the edge.

Did the Disney Cruise girl’s dad dangle her over the edge?

Credit: Facebook

An investigation into what actually happened is still underway, but that hasn’t stopped people from speculating about the cause on the internet. Previous passengers pointed out that the railings are relatively high to prevent accidental falls, so others claimed her father must have placed her on the railing or dangled her over the edge.

“Dad set her on the railing for a picture. Luckily, they didn’t both turn into shark soup. Stop setting your children on railings, they can fall to their death from!!!” one person said on Reddit.

Another wrote: “He instantly knew he f*cked up big time and was willing to risk his life to save hers. He’s in Sh*t’s Creek after that, thank God he found her and they were both miraculously saved.”

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People have even been speaking to news outlets about the girl being on the railing, with one telling the MailOnline: “They said the dad lifted his daughter onto the railing and she fell off, then he jumped in straight after her.”

Another alleged witness claimed the girl’s parents were playing shuffleboard when she climbed the railing and subsequently fell off. Despite those claims, police have now denied that the Disney Cruise ship girl was on the railing.

On Tuesday, Broward Sheriff’s Office told CBS News Miami that the “little girl was not being held, as erroneously reported on some social media sites.”

A full investigation is still underway, with more details expected to follow.

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Featured image credit: SWNS/Twitter