Orlando Sentinel story about "inappropriate fondling" on the Dream

[BuzzLightyearInTampa]

If that is my family, I'm calling 911 from the cell phone if we're still in US port as soon as it happens and not just reporting it to guest services.

But since the grandmother refused to press charges in the Bahamas (can only speculate as to why, but it probably would have meant cutting their trip short, and coming to the Bahamas again to testify), Disney did all they could do at that time by firing him and sending him home.

 

[justmestace]

If that is my family, I'm calling 911 from the cell phone if we're still in US port as soon as it happens and not just reporting it to guest services.

But since the grandmother refused to press charges in the Bahamas (can only speculate as to why, but it probably would have meant cutting their trip short, and coming to the Bahamas again to testify), Disney did all they could do at that time by firing him and sending him home.

But they didn't do all they could....they could have (and should have) followed Florida law, and called the police while they were still in port.

But it's the same in the Disney Parks.....no one dies at Disney.....they wait until a body is off property before declaring a death. God forbid Disney should get a bad reputation.


And I agree with you, if it looked to me as if DCL crew were dragging their heels, I would have called the police myself, but this happened to a family from an entirely different culture than ours and they were probably not familiar with the proceedings, probably in shock and scared, and probably TRUSTED DCL to take care of them. I learned the hard way that that isn't going to happen. They DO lie, and they will tell you anything while you're onboard to keep you from raising a ruckus.

 

[TheWescotts]

Why do people keep saying he was a head waiter??? It says At 4:48 p.m., the video was shown to a dining manager, who identified the suspect by name and position, a dining room server from India.

Also, people seem to not be thinking of these events in real time. The guest services investigator can't make the call to hold up the cast off, or to report it. He reports to his superiors, who reports to his, who reports to...it finally gets to the captain who either makes the call, or contacts a DCL Exec. It depends on their policies and management structure.

It is very possible that the person who makes the decision had enough information to make it before the ship sailed. Also, they know they can detain the guy on board...where is he gonna go?

We also don't know what conversations were had between DCL and the Grandmother. Did she say they would not cooperate with any investigation? Were they satisfied with the decision to send him back to India, and thought that justice enough? Did DCL bribe them with free cruises for 10 year? We just don't know.

 

[donalduck]

I see your point. I have no idea what it's like. I am sorry that you had to go through something like that. No one should ever have to go through anything like that. If I was that girl's father he would have went swimming.

If DCL had done their job properly, the grandmother wouldn't have HAD to press charges, the State of Florida would have done that for her.

There are a few reasons that women don't press charges....the biggest one being that they want to put the whole episode behind them and try to heal and move on, and not put themselves (or their daughters, granddaughters, whatever) through the hell of what happens when a young girl is molested or raped. I know this process from experience, and in looking back, would have handled a similar situation in an entirely different way. Yes, I'm admitting that I would have had someone meet the perp (perv) in a dark spot one night and taken care of things.

Until you go through it, you can't imagine how unbelievably humiliating, horrifying, demeaning...you name it....the whole process is.

Plus, since the crew member had already been dismissed, what would this family have had to go through in order to prosecute?? Where would they have had to travel for interviews, a trial, etc??

I get sick to death of people blaming the victim.

The blame for this one lands squarely on the perpetraitor and on DCL.
You can't tell me that it took HOURS to identify one of their own employees, especially one who is not "behind the scenes" but is recognizable at every single meal. What a crock.

And to anyone who is defending DCL, shame on you. They KNOW the law and they chose to ignore it. Money and power can make people believe that they are above the law. Not wanting to hold up the ship and "ruin other people's vacation" has never been an issue in the event of medical emergencies....I've seen it happen.

As far as the news station not being reliable....that's a moot point, too. There is PLENTY of documentation and an ADMISSION OF GUILT.....and it makes NO DIFFERENCE in this case, what outlet reported it, nor what their motives were.

If this had happened on another cruise line and had been posted here, we'd see 20+ pages of outraged posts by now.

 

[donalduck]

It doesn't matter what kinda of job he did does it?

Why do people keep saying he was a head waiter??? It says At 4:48 p.m., the video was shown to a dining manager, who identified the suspect by name and position, a dining room server from India.

Also, people seem to not be thinking of these events in real time. The guest services investigator can't make the call to hold up the cast off, or to report it. He reports to his superiors, who reports to his, who reports to...it finally gets to the captain who either makes the call, or contacts a DCL Exec. It depends on their policies and management structure.

It is very possible that the person who makes the decision had enough information to make it before the ship sailed. Also, they know they can detain the guy on board...where is he gonna go?

We also don't know what conversations were had between DCL and the Grandmother. Did she say they would not cooperate with any investigation? Were they satisfied with the decision to send him back to India, and thought that justice enough? Did DCL bribe them with free cruises for 10 year? We just don't know.

 

[justmestace]

I see your point. I have no idea what it's like. I am sorry that you had to go through something like that. No one should ever have to go through anything like that. If I was that girl's father he would have went swimming.

Thank you....and I didn't take offense, I just get so angry that people would question the reaction of the parents (or grandmother in this case) and defend ANYONE who helped a criminal escape prosecution.
I don't necessarily mean to call YOU out...I just mean the whole situation just makes me ache all over again.

 

[Silverfox97]

Why do people keep saying he was a head waiter???

I can tell by his uniform in the video. Definitely head waiter.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[justmestace]

Why do people keep saying he was a head waiter??? It says At 4:48 p.m., the video was shown to a dining manager, who identified the suspect by name and position, a dining room server from India.

Also, people seem to not be thinking of these events in real time. The guest services investigator can't make the call to hold up the cast off, or to report it. He reports to his superiors, who reports to his, who reports to...it finally gets to the captain who either makes the call, or contacts a DCL Exec. It depends on their policies and management structure.

It is very possible that the person who makes the decision had enough information to make it before the ship sailed. Also, they know they can detain the guy on board...where is he gonna go?

We also don't know what conversations were had between DCL and the Grandmother. Did she say they would not cooperate with any investigation? Were they satisfied with the decision to send him back to India, and thought that justice enough? Did DCL bribe them with free cruises for 10 year? We just don't know.

I don't believe this for a second. In the real world, the minute a call is made that there's been a rape, molestation, whatever, the police are called and THEN the investigation starts.
Think about the times when the suspect is unknown......do the cops wait to take a report until they FIND the suspect?? NO.

There is NO EXCUSE for DCL not calling the Florida police the second the little girl came to them. Especially when they have video. NO EXCUSE.

 

[Rogillio]

It's easy to blame "Disney" but it was not Disney failed to act, it was the people, Disney employees - the head of security and the Captain should both be fired.

When the Costa Cordia sank and killed all those people the tendancey was to blame "Carnival" but it was the Captain who caused the disaster.

Disney will end up paying this child millions in an undisclosed settlement.

 

[justmestace]

I can tell by his uniform in the video. Definitely head waiter.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

But the report (the written DCL one) and the article and also people who had this person as a server are saying he was a SERVER, not a head waiter. Not sure why he had on the uniform that he did, I'm not familiar with what they wear when they aren't serving.

And actually, it makes no difference at all what his position was. I think the only reason anyone is asking is because the article said "Server" but some people have said on here that he was a Head Server, and they're only wanting clarification....or if they've stated that he was a Head Server, they didn't read the article fully or listen to the newscast, because regardless of what uniform he's wearing in the video, it was stated that he was a Server.

 

[justmestace]

It's easy to blame "Disney" but it was not Disney failed to act, it was the people, Disney employees - the head of security and the Captain should both be fired.

When the Costa Cordia sank and killed all those people the tendancey was to blame "Carnival" but it was the Captain who caused the disaster.

Disney will end up paying this child millions in an undisclosed settlement.

You are absolutely right. I did say "Disney" as a generalization.....meaning the people who were in charge at the time, who are Disney employees.
I'm sorry. It's just easier to type the single "Disney" than to type out the positions held by each person who dropped the ball.

But, like I said about the Parks, it's Disney policy to not declare a death inside the Parks.....so somewhere there are probably a long list of rules about how to place "Disney" in the best possible light, no matter how dire the situation.

 

[NoSoup4U]

They ID'd the head server 14 min BEFORE the ship left the dock. So at that moment, Disney could have had him arrested. But they didnt! Instead, they waited. For what? Who knows! its all very strange.

I'm not defending Disney AT ALL. I have a daughter and I would not want her touched.

However. Did some digging. Family didn't want to press charges. She's a Brazilian gal; not sure about family. Story seems witch-hunt like - where is the source/why bring up now if it happened in Aug.? When the crew member (Head Server) was identified at 4:48pm, the ship is already pulling away. That is when the positive ID was made by the dining room manager.

Disney is not a buncha idiots. Lawyers vet every single move they make, every action they take. I imagine their internal security did their investigation first, which would happen at WDW as well (yes, I realize that DCL is flagged in the Bahamas).

There's something off about this investigation.... And yes, I'd say that regardless if what cruise line it was reported on!

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

The info was in the first or second link that was posted. its a video link. In that video they said the 11 yr olds grandma decided not to press charges.

Where did you find the information that the family didn't want to press charges? I searched for info and didn't find that.

Yes, VERY disgusting!

DISGUSTING. Especially because Disney is supposed to be all about family...and they covered it up and helped a criminal escape. Disgusting.

 

[Silverfox97]

But the report (the written DCL one) and the article and also people who had this person as a server are saying he was a SERVER, not a head waiter. Not sure why he had on the uniform that he did, I'm not familiar with what they wear when they aren't serving.

And actually, it makes no difference at all what his position was. I think the only reason anyone is asking is because the article said "Server" but some people have said on here that he was a Head Server, and they're only wanting clarification....or if they've stated that he was a Head Server, they didn't read the article fully or listen to the newscast, because regardless of what uniform he's wearing in the video, it was stated that he was a Server.

Yeah - I've never seen a regular server in a white officer-type jacket with gold stripes on the shoulder. In fact, at first, DH & I thought he was an officer (before they said what he did), until we noticed he had on black pants instead of officer whites.

You are right, it doesn't matter. He's scum regardless.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[Silverfox97]

It's easy to blame "Disney" but it was not Disney failed to act, it was the people, Disney employees - the head of security and the Captain should both be fired.

When the Costa Cordia sank and killed all those people the tendancey was to blame "Carnival" but it was the Captain who caused the disaster.

Disney will end up paying this child millions in an undisclosed settlement.

Whoa - fire the captain? No way. Absolutely not. Come on. That's a little harsh. Completely does not compare to the Concordia incident.

A settlement and a they probably had that cruise for free, but millions? Really? Doubt it.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[ZoeBell]

We also don't know what conversations were had between DCL and the Grandmother. Did she say they would not cooperate with any investigation? Were they satisfied with the decision to send him back to India, and thought that justice enough? Did DCL bribe them with free cruises for 10 year? We just don't know.

Who made Disney, police, judge and jury?

 

[cgolf]

Read through most of this, and it definitely sounds like Disney dropped the ball on the timing of the reporting, post that firing of the employee and sending them off ship at the first stop was the proper steps. Heads should roll though for the not reporting the incident stateside.

The question I have is are the laws in the US different than the Bahamas for an incident like this. Would the perpetrator been automatically charged even if the family did not want to press charges here in the US? If the answer is yes, than DCL would have more to answer for, that is of course if they could prove that DCL's intent in not reporting it was to cover it up and protect their employee. Sorry if this has been asked and answered.

cgolf

 

[littleaussie]

I guess I would question what his role was as a cast member because if he was a dining server, wouldn't he be in the dining room at 7:50 when he was questioned? The article is very vague on that part, mentioning the suspect 'roamed' the ship until 7:50 p.m. Do they mean that he was working his duties in the dining room or that he was wandering around?

It goes back to the accuracy of the news source. If he is a server, and was working the dining room, 'roaming the ship' is misleading or inaccurate. That lends to the suspicion of a credible news source.

I am not questioning the girl's story, just the accuracy of the news report.

 

[Twinprincesses]

He went up to that little girl with full intention of what he was going to do. How many other children did he do that too?? Disgusting. He followed her. Ugh it makes me sick knowing I have been on 3 ships. While there are pervs everywhere I guess we have let our guard down being on vacation especially on cruises.


No amount of money could pay me off to not have that ship turned around to have him taken to jail. That little girls vacation started out as a nightmare. Security should have held him until they got back to port and released him to Florida officials. He was just flown back home to victimize another child.

 

[Rogillio]

There is NO EXCUSE for DCL not calling the Florida police the second the little girl came to them. Especially when they have video. NO EXCUSE.

It's always easy to be an arm-chair captain and say what should have been done....but don't know all the facts and circumstances and timelines. That is the reason we have courts to flush out all the evidence. Some cases apprear cut and dry based on media reports but there is always more to the 'story' than gets reported. Let's let the judicial system work and not convict anyone based on what we think we know.

 

[ZoeBell]

It's always easy to be an arm-chair captain and say what should have been done....but don't know all the facts and circumstances and timelines. That is the reason we have courts to flush out all the evidence. Some cases apprear cut and dry based on media reports but there is always more to the 'story' than gets reported. Let's let the judicial system work and not convict anyone based on what we think we know.

But thanks to Disney playing arm chair judge and jury the judicial system can't work.