Grandfather charged in cruise death describes toddler’s fall

November 25, 2019

A man from Indiana whose granddaughter fell from a cruise ship said he was in “disbelief” when he saw what happened. Salvatore Anello spoke exclusively to CBS News in his first interview after being hit with criminal charges in his granddaughter’s death.

Anello was holding 18-month-old Chloe Wiegand on a cruise in Puerto Rico when she slipped from his grasp and fell more than 10 stories from a window. Anello is now charged with negligent homicide for what he says was an accident.

“I remember trying to find her on the floor and then I saw her fall, I saw her fall, I saw her fall and I was just in disbelief. And I was like ‘Oh my God.’ And I think for a while I was in shock and I was just standing there. And then I just remember screaming that I thought there was glass. I thought there was glass. I still say it to myself, it’s just, I kind of relive it all the time and I just thought there was glass there. I don’t know what else to tell you,” Anello said.

“It seems like it’s all not real. She’s such a beautiful little girl. Perfect little girl,” Anello said.

Watch the full interview with Anello on “CBS This Morning,” Tuesday, November 26 at 7 a.m. ET.