Miami

Published on: June 3, 2025

At Least Three Ships Affected by Strong Winds, Passengers Injured. What to Know.

Heavy winds over the weekend caused chaos for multiple cruise lines over the weekend and multiple injuries to passengers.

At least three ships were affected by the winds, with one incident being caught on camera by a passenger who was filming from his cabin balcony.

The first incident was caused by 69 mph gusts that caused the ropes of an Alaskan cruise to snap, knocking a gangway into the water. The ship, which was later guided back by tugboats, began to slowly drift away from the pier. The gangway fell into the water and was retrieved by a crane.

Published on: June 3, 2025

Child Killed in Fall from Third-Story Balcony at Sleepover, officials say. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

A 12-year-old girl died after falling from a third-story window at a Massachusetts apartment during a sleepover with friends, news outlets reported.

Arya Lebeau died a day after the incident on May 24, according to reporting from The Miami Herald.

“I cannot express the amount of grief I feel at the loss of my only baby,” the child’s mother, Charlene Cabrera, said in a statement on a public GoFundMe page.

Published on: June 3, 2025

Germiest Spot on Cruise Ships Revealed. Can You Guess Where?

By Leesfield & Partners

When asked to name the germiest surfaces on cruise ships, one might think about commonly touched areas such as doorknobs, stair railings or elevator buttons.

While these places have been known to transfer illness-causing germs such as norovirus — as the CDC warned earlier this year — a microbiologist has revealed a far more surprising source of contamination.

Microbiologist Jason Tetro told the Reader’s Digest that private hot tubs on ships are a breeding ground for germs and bacteria. In October 2024, these private hot tubs on the balconies of guests were linked to multiple outbreaks of Legionnaires’ Disease on cruise ships. These outbreaks were linked back to two cruise ships on different cruise lines.

Published on: May 27, 2025

Cruise Ship Captain Dies after Suffering Medical Emergency on Ship. A Look Back at Leesfield & Partners’ Medical Malpractice Cases.

By Leesfield & Partners

A cruise ship’s captain died after suffering a medical emergency at sea, officials said.

“It is with profound sadness that we share the news of the passing of Captain Michele Bartolomei, who had a sudden medical emergency and died onboard Diamond Princess,” Princess Cruises told reporters with PEOPLE Magazine. “Captain Bartolomei was a respected leader, whose decades of service at sea exemplified professionalism, dedication, and care for both guests and crew.”

The incident happened Monday while the ship was in Taiwan in the middle of a 19-day voyage. Passengers were given the news of the captain’s passing in a letter that was delivered to their cabins that informed them of which captain would be taking over for the rest of their trip.

Published on: May 14, 2025

Skydiver Suffering Parachute Malfunction Saved by Daring Instructor. Then, He Needed Saving, Too.

By Leesfield & Partners

A skydiving instructor made a daring rescue to save one of his students after a midair parachute malfunction.

No serious injuries were reported in the incident, which left the skydiving instructor dangling from a tree, The Miami Herald reported Monday.

First responders were notified of the incident around 5:30 p.m. on May 2 when a 911 caller reported that a skydiver had gone missing east of Palatka Municipal Airport. When the instructor noticed that the student’s parachute had failed, “he did not pull his own chute in order to reach the student,” officials with the Putnam Sheriff’s Office said via a Facebook news release.

Published on: May 7, 2025

Man Convicted of Cruise Ship Sexual Assault Sentenced. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

A man was sentenced to 20 years in prison and five years of supervised release for a sexual assault that took place on a Baltimore cruise ship, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland said Thursday.

Jalen Kelley, 22, of Abingdon, Maryland, was found guilty in December of aggravated sexual abuse, sexual abuse and assault while aboard a Baltimore cruise ship.

Kelley raped the victim, a minor, on Jan. 1, 2023, aboard the ship. In reporting from The Miami Herald, the teen allegedly needed to use the restroom, and Kelley allowed the minor to use the bathroom in his cabin. When the minor finished using the restroom, Kelley attacked the teen.

Published on: May 7, 2025

Passengers Banned from Carnival Cruise Lines After Brawl Breaks Out on Ship in Galveston, Texas.

By Leesfield & Partners

Approximately two dozen people were banned from sailing with Carnival Cruise Line after an all-out brawl broke out as passengers disembarked from a ship over the weekend.

The incident, which was filmed and posted online, happened on April 26, 2025, inside a terminal as passengers disembarked in Galveston, Texas. The footage shows a horde of people pushing at one another, tackling and launching fists as multiple security guards attempted to break up the scuffle.

A spokesperson for Carnival told USA Today reporters Tuesday that police are investigating the incident and that the 24 people involved will no longer be able to sail with the cruise line.

Published on: April 24, 2025

Carnival Cruise Passenger Allegedly Raped by Junkanoo Beach Jet Ski Operator. What to Know.

By Leesfield & Partners

A Carnival cruise passenger has accused a jet ski operator of assaulting her while on a recent voyage, according to media.

The alleged assault took place at Junkanoo Beach in Nassau, Bahamas,

The U.S. Embassy issued a recent warning to women after several concerning incidents in which jet ski operators in The Bahamas have allegedly raped tourists. The harrowing incidents have been linked to jet ski operators in Nassau, including Paradise Island beaches, Junkanoo Beach, Saunders Beach and Cabbage Beach.

Published on: April 18, 2025

Want to Sue a Cruise Line in Florida? Leesfield & Partners has 48 Years of Experience Doing Just That.

By Leesfield & Partners

For many vacationers, once the unmistakable combination of sun and salty breeze hit their skin, the worries of being on shore recedes into the background.

While cruise ships can certainly be an enjoyable getaway, however, it is important to note that passengers can fall prey to many of the same dangers that await them on shore. In 48 years of personal injury practice, Leesfield & Partners has represented clients who were victims of just that.

From an improperly maintained balcony railing that resulted in the death of a young girl to horrific jet ski crashes with long-lasting consequences, our firm has represented clients injured in just about every way imaginable on board a cruise ship. With these injuries, come unaccounted for expenses such as was the case for a crew member who went to the infirmary with

Published on: April 1, 2025

Two Men Charged for Sexually Abusing Teen on Royal Caribbean Cruise, officials say

By Leesfield & Partners

Two men have been accused in the rape of a 14-year-old boy in a sauna aboard a Royal Caribbean ship headed for PortMiami.

The men, Ricardo Daniel Mondragon Leal, 37, and Jose Juan Prudencio Diaz, 36, were charged on Friday, March 21.

Mondragon faces charges of sexual battery on a minor, lewd and lascivious molestation on a child aged 12 to 16 years old, lewd and lascivious exhibition on a child under 16 years old by a person over 18 years old.