Disney accused of failing to act on child assault
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Disney Cruise Lines has been widely criticised for failing to report an apparent sexual assault on an 11-year old passenger by one of its employees onboard the Disney Dream last August.
The story, which was reported by Florida based news provider WKMG, shows surveillance footage of a 33-year old dining room server groping a young girl after he cornered her in a lift.
Reports circulating have claimed that despite the assault being recorded to the cruise line, the Port of Canaveral police could not look into the claim because the ship left port. The authorities were instead told the following day.
Disney has claimed it did report the crime before the ship set sail however security footage brings the claim into disrepute. According to WKMG the girl reported the attack minutes after it happened and took security to the exact spot where it had taken place shortly before a suspect was identified.
This took place between 15:22 and 16:48 however the ship left the port at 17:02. The suspect, an Indian man, was not quested until later that night.
A detective from Port Canaveral police was ready to board the vessel when it came back to port however Disney had already put the suspect on a plane to India.
The original report, including the security footage, is available here.
