US grandfather who dropped his 18-month-old granddaughter 150ft to her death from cruise ship window, says he is \’angry and relieved\’ after he avoids jail

A US grandfather who pleaded guilty to negligent homicide for dropping his 18-month-old granddaughter 150ft to her death from a cruise ship windowin 2020, has avoided jail. 

 

Salvatore \’Sam\’ Anello, of Valparaiso, Indiana, was sentenced Monday to three years´ probation, according to justice officials, following the death of Chloe Wiegand. 

 

In July 2020, 18-month-old Chloe Wiegand reportedly slipped from her grandfather Salvatore “Sam” Anello’s grasp and fell around 115ft from the children’s play area on a Royal Caribbean Cruises’ ship, in San Juan, Puerto Rico. 

 

 

Anello had been holding the little girl up to an open window on the 11th deck of the Freedom of the Seas ship when the incident happened. He claimed that he did not know the tinted window of the children’s play area was open and that he lifted Chloe up to the window so that she could knock on the glass like she had done at her brother’s hockey games.

 

Anello pleaded guilty in the case in October 2020. Defense attorney Michael Winkleman has said Anello would serve probation in his home state. 

 

 

The girl´s parents, Alan and Kimberly Wiegand, sued Royal Caribbean in a civil case that is still ongoing. 

 

Anello told DailyMail.com he felt a \’mixture of anger and relief\’ following the sentencing, adding: \’I always thought this was a wall of glass.\’

 

He said Monday: \'[I feel] relief that I will serve no jail time and that I did not have to admit any facts. Relief for my family so that we can close this chapter and move on together.

 

\’I feel angry at Royal Caribbean because it is clear that these windows never should have been allowed to have been opened in the first place.

 

\’I always thought this was a wall of glass. There was no indication to me that some of the glass panels in this wall of glass could even open. 

 

\’I decided not to contest these charges, even though I know I committed no crime, because I would not have to admit any facts or suffer any significant penalty. 

 

\’It was a choice of focusing our resources and deciding the best path to tell Chloe\’s story and devote our family\’s energy was in the civil case. I miss you so much Chloe.\’

 

 

Explaining his decision to plead guilty to negligent homicide attorney Winkleman said in February last year: \’This decision was an incredibly difficult one for Sam and the family but because the plea agreement includes no jail time and no admission of facts.

 

\’It was decided the plea deal is in the best interests of the family so that they can close this horrible chapter and turn their focus to mourning Chloe and fighting for cruise passenger safety by raising awareness about the need for all common carriers to adhere to window fall prevention laws designed to protect children from falling from windows.\’ 

 

 

Chloe\’s parents Alan and Kimberly Wiegand, from South Bend, Indiana are suing the cruise operator in a separate civil lawsuit, arguing there were no signs or notices to warn Anello that the \’wall of glass\’ he held Chloe up against contained windows that could be slid open.

 

According to Mail Online, Police officer Alan, 41, and his attorney wife Kimberly, 37, could claim \’unlimited\’ damages for pain and mental suffering if their suit, filed in Miami federal court, succeeds.