Eight-Year-Old Child Dies After Fall From Carnival Glory’s Interior Atrium

In a tragic accident at PortMiami on Saturday morning, an eight-year-old passenger, identified by the Miami-Dade Police Department as Zion Smith of Nassau, the Bahamas, died after falling approximately two stories from an interior deck in the Carnival Glory’s atrium to the atrium floor.

The accident occurred at about 8:15 a.m. while the ship was docked at the port and disembarkation was under way. The girl was traveling with her mother, young brother, mother's boyfriend and his family; the group had just returned from a week-long cruise on Carnival Glory

According to Carnival’s corporate statement: "The ship's medical team responded immediately and the child was transported to the ship's medical center. The ship's command immediately contacted Miami-Dade Police Department which was on site.

The statement continued: "She was subsequently transferred via ambulance to a local hospital where, tragically, she succumbed to her injuries. Our most heartfelt condolences are with the family at this very difficult time.”

Captain Ignatius Carroll, a spokesperson for Miami Fire Rescue, said the young girl fell approximately two stories inside the atrium. 

Miami's WPLG-TV, Channel 10, reported that a fellow passenger, Bob Dorr, a retired, former emergency medical technician, immediately began CPR on the girl -- assisted by a Miami-Dade police officer -- until Carnival's medical team arrived and took over the CPR and treatment.  

Miami Fire Rescue then transported the child to Jackson Memorial Hospital's Ryder Trauma Center in extremely critical condition. 

A few hours later, Alvaro Zabaleta, a Miami-Dade police detective, reported the girl had died. He said investigators were working closely with Carnival's personnel to determine the details surrounding this incident. 

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