Monday, March 27, 2006

Suit Says Girl Assaulted on Cruise

ORLANDO (Orlando Sentinel) – The parents of a girl sued Disney Cruise Lines after their daughter was allegedly sexually assaulted by a crew member while on board the Disney Wonder in October, court documents said. The girl and her parents, New York residents, boarded the ship in Port Canaveral on Oct. 2 for a cruise to the Bahamas, the lawsuit said. The suit, which seeks damages in excess of $75,000, alleges the crew member "falsely imprisoned, sexually assaulted, exposed himself to, and intentionally inflicted emotional distress" on the girl. The family was not identified in the lawsuit, which was filed in Orlando's federal court. Disney spokeswoman Rena Langley said Disney Cruise Lines takes the allegation very seriously. She said the cruise line was notified of the allegation in October and contacted the FBI and Bahamian law enforcement. She said the two agencies worked with the Brevard County Sheriff's Office, and no charges have been filed. The crew member no longer works for Disney, she said.

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