Orlando Sentinel story about "inappropriate fondling" on the Dream

[dskib]

Ugh. I hope this turns out to be untrue. We just got back and I was so pleased with the Dream that I told everyone! I never let my son stay someplace where I don't know the people and felt really confident in Disney.

Quote:
By Hal Boedeker, Staff writer
3:13 pm, May 20, 2013
On the 11 p.m. Monday news, WKMG-Channel 6 will deliver a shocking report about a Disney Cruise Line employee fondling an 11-year-old girl and the strange events that followed.

The segment was not planned for the May ratings period. Tony Pipitone just got the story last week and worked quickly to turn it around, WKMG news director Steve Hyvonen said Monday afternoon.

"Last week we did a report on cruise crime that showed crimes on cruise ships often are not prosecuted by federal authorities," Pipitone said. "As a result of that investigation, it kind of shook the tree. This is one of the things that fell out of that tree."

WKMG has video of a Disney Cruise Line employee groping an 11-year-old girl in August 2012 before the Disney Dream departed Port Canaveral. Disney knew what happened, but didn't report the crime until the next day, after the ship was on its way to the Bahamas.

 

[wcw57]

really really not good!

i mean really

to the core

 

[RGLakatos]

Good Evening!!

Although the story might be true please understand this....

The Orlando Sentinel is a newspaper I would NEVER base any type of truth on; I live in Orlando and this is the worst newspaper we have around here....although there are very few newspapers here in Orlando this is, by far, the largest and worst for writing correct information and not leaving out information. I know MANY high school students who write for the Orlando Sentinel so don't be amazed if they do not tell the entire story.

Second, Channel 6 is by far the worst news channel there is in Orlando. Tony Pipitone has been at numerous channels in Orlando and other markets....there is a reason why he gets tossed around like garbage....he, frankly, is a garbage commentator, writer and investigator.

There might me some truth to this but as well all know things like this do happen from time to time.....just try not believing the newspapers or television stations here in Orlando....they are the worst sources of information that we have in Orlando.

 

[KashasMom]

??? If the story IS true, does it really matter who reports it?

 

[ThePhantomsGirl]

Edited because I do wonder why something that happened in August 2012 is now getting reported. Could be true, could be conjecture for ratings. Don't know.

 

[dizzyr]

Good Evening!!

Although the story might be true please understand this....

The Orlando Sentinel is a newspaper I would NEVER base any type of truth on; I live in Orlando and this is the worst newspaper we have around here....although there are very few newspapers here in Orlando this is, by far, the largest and worst for writing correct information and not leaving out information. I know MANY high school students who write for the Orlando Sentinel so don't be amazed if they do not tell the entire story.

Second, Channel 6 is by far the worst news channel there is in Orlando. Tony Pipitone has been at numerous channels in Orlando and other markets....there is a reason why he gets tossed around like garbage....he, frankly, is a garbage commentator, writer and investigator.

There might me some truth to this but as well all know things like this do happen from time to time.....just try not believing the newspapers or television stations here in Orlando....they are the worst sources of information that we have in Orlando.

My first experience with the Orlando Sentinel was when the little guy Chase almost drowned and I was searching the internet for updates that may be more accurate than I was reading on the Dis. I came across a couple of articles from the Sentinel and thought great it must be accurate - imagine my surprise to see direct quotes from the Dis in the article. Turns out they were searching on the internet for info as well! LOL

 

[dizzyr]

??? If the story IS true, does it really matter who reports it?

I think the PP point may have been if it's reported by those two sources only then the story may not be accurate. Basically the "know your source" idea.

 

[MinnesotaMouseketeers]

Even if the story is untrue, it doesn't mean it couldn't happen. Even on a Disney cruise ship; you should be telling your child/ren what to watch out for. Sad, but true. Let's hope this article is false.

 

[SnowWhite2]

I find it odd that it is from August and just coming out to be reported. Plus if I had video of my 11 yo being molested by a DCL cast member, I would have hired a lawyer before I got back to the states and had him arrested as soon as we got back to PC. (If my DH didn't take him out first )

From my dealings with DCL and my teen, DCL doesn't easily take responsibility for their staff's inappropriate behavior. I'm sure there is more to this story and it will come out shortly.

 

[carpenta]

......."just the facts ma'm".........Joe Friday.........good advice to live (and post) by.......

 

[pyramid2000]

http://www.cruiselawnews.com/tags/children/

The publisher of this site seems to be interested in following this story to see what actually happened. "Jim Walker is a maritime lawyer who has attended seven Congressional hearing on issues of cruise ship crime, passenger disappearances..."

 

[justmestace]

A video clip of a preview of the news story that will appear on TV tonight.

I understand from reading the article why this is just now hitting the news....because it said that during an investigation for a story on cruise ship crime, this particular story showed up, and it had apparently previously been either "hushed" or just not noticed. I'm always surprised at how many people just won't believe that anything like this could happen on a Disney ship or in the Disney Parks.


http://www.clickorlando.com/news/vi...ered/-/1637132/20220760/-/46ltpi/-/index.html

 

[flyinglizard]

Wow! Just saw the report and the video and documents on the channel 6 report. The incident was immediately reported to Disney but they delayed calling local authorities till the ship sailed. Once the ship reached the Bahamas, the perv was put on a plane back to India. Seems like everything was just swept under the rug till they were out of U.S. jurisdiction. Not very magical for that little girl or her family...

 

[justmestace]

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


http://www.clickorlando.com/news/di...ort/-/1637132/20227248/-/1hsdp6z/-/index.html

 

[Silverfox97]

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

 

[justmestace]

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

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

If I read the article about the news broadcast correctly, it stated that they were doing an investigation of crime on cruise ships when they found this one, and they brought it to light now because it never was in the news before, and because of the "cover up".
Just because it might be "old news" doesn't make it any less tragic, and it's the kind of thing that every parent or guardian should read about, no matter how long ago it happened. Vigilance is the only way to keep these things from happening. Too many people trust Disney and let their kids wander alone. Not to say that I haven't seen kids alone on other cruise lines, because I have, and I hate seeing that, because I KNOW these things happen. It just seems that more people let their guard down because it's Disney.

 

[tinkerone]

very sad for that child.

 

[pyramid2000]

Seems to me that DCL didn't want to delay departure. Sorry, but an accusation such as this should have held the ship in port so that DCL themselves could remove the man in question so the police could investigate. The ship was still in port when it was initially reported , investigated through security video, and the man identified (according to DCL's own report according to the source). Heck, they were still in US waters even after departure. What happened to the above and beyond that DCL provides? Letting the man loose on the ship for another two to three hours after he was identified? If the guests were not US citizens it makes it even more suspicious because it would be much easier for DCL to do what they did since they wouldn't be in the US to press the issue. (Yeah, I know, they decided on day 3 that they didn't want to press charges, but that happened in the Bahamas.)

From what I have read, this reporter was investigating cruise ship crimes in general when he came across this story. Why wasn't it reported earlier? Well, it is hard to find a criminal story that didn't at least generate a police report.

I hope if it were my DDs they would have kicked him where it hurts and screamed fire as I have taught them! Maybe there should be an alarm button on the wave phones?

 

[pyramid2000]

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

It was right in the report that you posted a link to.

 

[justmestace]

It was right in the report that you posted a link to.

Oops...thanks....I spent a long exhausting weekend at Disneyland and I don't think my brain is functioning!