IN - Grandfather charged in cruise ship death of toddler Chloe Wiegand #7

[neesaki]

New here and have been reading and soaking in info.

I just want to say thank you to those who have provided so much info and insight into this awful incident.

my opinion? SA is a negligent person. RCC did their due diligence in keeping passengers and children safe. They in no way could foresee a grandfather or anyone for that matter doing what he did. Had there been an issue with the window breaking, giving a false sense of security, or some kind of failure in the structure of the window, sure, they may have some liability, still on SA, but at least I could understand it. I say may, but I don’t believe anything would have prevented SA from doing what he did. He alone failed Chloe. He owed her the right to be safe and not put in danger and he made the choice to lift her to that dangerous spot, window open or closed it was stupid and negligent. It’s all sad, but this family needs to face the reality, SA caused Chloe’s death, not RC, not what if’s, not maybe’s, not hypothetical scenarios, he did.

Very well put, I totally agree. And welcome to Websleuths, Hughaskton!

 

[Pammi]

Whatever her name was embarking on the cruise is her name. You need to show either a passport or driver’s license and original birth certificate. To get the new drivers license I had to show original birth certificate, marriage license, items with my address addressed to me (bills), I believe even my social security card. I think they are married. No reason to think otherwise. JMO

I agree. They do own property in MI and that’s her listed name. You have to show ID to purchase property and sign loan docs. In this case, it’s immaterial; he was either a moronic idiot or evil and he is the direct and proximate cause of chloe’s death. MOO JMO

 

[Lawnguylander1964]

Whatever her name was embarking on the cruise is her name. You need to show either a passport or driver’s license and original birth certificate. To get the new drivers license I had to show original birth certificate, marriage license, items with my address addressed to me (bills), I believe even my social security card. I think they are married. No reason to think otherwise. JMO

You don't have to legally change your name when you get married. She could very well have booked the cruise under her legal name which is Schultz or even her maiden name, whatever that is, and all of her documents match that name.

 

[Lawnguylander1964]

I found yet another house they owned where it was owned as H/W and both their last names were Anello, but then the house was transferred after that to his wife under the name Schultz.

Seriously, who the heck knows what their status is at this point.

 

[SaguaroSpirit]

I found yet another house they owned where it was owned as H/W and both their last names were Anello, but then the house was transferred after that to his wife under the name Schultz.

Seriously, who the heck knows what their status is at this point.

That's not shady at all...

 

[al66pine]

delete

 

[al66pine]

Like Pittsburgh Zoo Settlement?
Zoo settled w parents for an undisclosed sum.
Sorry, tech troubles - could not get Lambseatoats post #1091 quoted here.

@Lambseatoats sbm bbm Glad you joined this Websleuths & this thread.
Yes, ^ an undisclosed sum, as so often happens in these cases. And it's virtually impossible to know what that amt was. $50,000? $250,000? $1,000,000? More?
Veering bit OT for a few generalizations and over-simplifications, we might consider.
In rep'ing the client's interest against the defendant, pers inj atty working on contingency and fronting litigation expenses, also thinks about practical aspects - like possibility of a settlement which does not cover even the expenses he/she/law firm has already paid (filing fees, expert witnesses, etc, etc, etc.) and in effect means not being paid at all for the hours, days, weeks of work done over a period of months or years.
Meanwhile atty for institution or corp is billing monthly at $ hourly rate and being paid on a current basis. Win, lose or draw on the settlement/ct case judgment, law firm is paid. From institution or corp view, that adds up, even if case is tried and judgment is for defendant. Depending on nature of claim, insurance (if there is coverage) and $ of deductible may be a factor. From atty/law firm viewpoint, extended litigation is not a $ drawback but may deter that client (perhaps others) from engaging them in the future.
And there is also the matter of public image/reputation for attys/law firms and for the institutions and corps themselves.
IOW, the legal merits of a case are not the only factors taken into consideration in initially deciding to file a lawsuit or to defend a lawsuit. And as discovery develops, likelihood of ultimately prevailing may change too. {ETA: same as a trial nears}
jmo

 

[al66pine]

I found yet another house they owned where it was owned as H/W and both their last names were Anello, but then the house was transferred after that to his wife under the name Schultz.
Seriously, who the heck knows what their status is at this point.

Link pls.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

I found yet another house they owned where it was owned as H/W and both their last names were Anello, but then the house was transferred after that to his wife under the name Schultz.

Seriously, who the heck knows what their status is at this point.

Could KW's mother have gotten a house in the settlement when she and Kim's father divorced? At the time, her name was Schultz. Speaking of which, how does Mr. Schultz fit into all of this? Is he remarried? Was he involved in Chloe's life prior to her death?

 

[Montrealaise]

Could KW's mother have gotten a house in the settlement when she and Kim's father divorced? At the time, her name was Schultz. Speaking of which, how does Mr. Schultz fit into all of this? Is he remarried? Was he involved in Chloe's life prior to her death?

According to Chloe's obituary, he is remarried and he and his wife live in Pennsylvania. No idea to what extent he was involved in Chloe's life, or even KW's life after he divorced her mother. BTW, the obituary states that her best friend was her dog Penny - but now her parents insist that SA was her best friend.

 

[ilovewings]

I am usually a very Occam’s Razor type person, which to me would be he straight up knew the window was open and held her up to look outside the window and dropped her. His fault, whether he was on Xanax or has a disorder or is fake color blind or really for real feels super bad and thinks he has been punished enough, because don’t forget he feels really bad. He needs to be in jail.

I am as well - I am 100,000,000% convinced he knew that window was open, and he was playing some type of "game" with CW at a minimum, swinging her back and forth, and then inexplicably let her go - *without* enough reflexes or room to grab her* and she fell straight out the window. This whole "I thought the window was closed" was complete b.s., stated in the immediate aftermath as a pathetic excuse and then latched onto like a dying man on a life raft. Now it has become the narrative - let's sue RCCL no warning labels on open windows! - and it's too far gone to go back to the actual truth - at a minimum he was completely stupid and reckless - if not actually wondering what it would be like to see her fall and kill her. Go back to the most simple answer - he KNEW the window was open. WHY he did this remains to be seen - alcohol/drugs/impaired thinking, intentional, stupidity, recklessness, I don't know. Watch his interview again - he can't even muster up a convincing reply to how any of this is anyone's fault but his own. The parents are putting him up to this for the money grab, which in itself is disgusting and bizarre but he's not very convincing in that interview.

his statement "just fix the boat"- kills me- it is so stupid-so ignorant---- for what it is worth i do not believe he did this on purpose-- not intentional, but he is so 1000% negligent and reckless- any fool could see it--- as for these parents- greedy, petty
and remarkably unsympathetic--- are they in total denial that it is grandpa's fault or are they just money-grubbers looking for a big pay day (i think that is it)-- My hope and prayer is that the cruise ship does not pay these disgusting people one single penny.

 

[Montrealaise]

Wow! I had not read about a dock worker noticing what was going on 11 decks above him. I recall that a crew member saw SA holding Chloe up to the window and told him not to do it. Sounded like a bartender or bar waiter who was working in the nearby Squeeze bar. Very telling if a worker on the ground actually saw SA and/or Chloe at the window.

I remember reading that sometime ago but I can't remember where. If indeed someone saw SA either stick his head or dangler Chloe outside the window - well, there goes SA's assertion that he didn't know the window was open.

 

[SaguaroSpirit]

According to Chloe's obituary, he is remarried and he and his wife live in Pennsylvania. No idea to what extent he was involved in Chloe's life, or even KW's life after he divorced her mother. BTW, the obituary states that her best friend was her dog Penny - but now her parents insist that SA was her best friend.

 

[loveandhugs]

A quick look at common law marriage and IL, IN and MI don't recognize it after the 1950s.

My next door neighbor posts on Facebook and Nextdoor and calls him her husband when referencing him in posts. I believe they just got married a month ago based on a post and seeing a white garment bag going into the trunk of the car.

I was next to a woman getting my nails done once and she was saying "my husband, well he's not really my husband, it's just easier to say that since we've been together for so long..."

So I think people do refer to someone as a spouse even though they aren't legally married. Sometimes it's just easier than trying to explain the relationship.

I am 72 and with my “boyfriend” 5 years, we have lived together two years, purchasing a home together. Because of benefits I receive from my late husband, marriage would not be an option, but yet we say we are husband and wife, it is better than boyfriend at this age.

 

[al66pine]

Who's Who?

I found yet another house they owned where it was owned as H/W and both their last names were Anello, but then the house was transferred after that to his wife under the name Schultz.
Seriously, who the heck knows what their status is at this point.

@Lawnguylander1964
If ^ info w hinky date (1900-01-01) come from 1st link below. I think ^ may not be accurate.

Imo more likely actual dates are in info at 2nd link.
Appears quite likely SA & Wife were already married at time of transfer in Sept 1998.
Also possible (TYVM @BetteDavisEyes) she recvd property in divorce settlemt. from previous husband, pre- Sept 16,1998 and deed named her as grantee Patricia S-----.
And possible before, at, or after time of marriage to SA, she transferred title to prop by deed from her name only to SA & PatriciaA. Could be as @Wehwalt posted, Tenancy by the Entirety. Or could be Jt Tenants, or Ten/Common.

Why the subsequent transfer or deed, nearly ten yrs later?
Without the deeds themselves and possibly some extrinsic info, not possible to say why they did this or why county records show their two transfers of same property.
{ETA: Is this relevant to civil or criminal case? IDK, just adding it to a list of oddities.
AND in another slot in transfer of ownership, there's an entry 02/25/05 for SA, Code "UA."}

--------------------------------------------------------------------
Exact quotes from the Porter County IN tax records
for a Valparaiso street address, beginning w number "2110" (parcel number below, in 2nd link)
"Transfer"
"Transferred from"................................................."Transfer date"
C------S---D---- .....................................................:"10/16/2019"
"Anello Salvatore &Patricia/H&W"......................."08/29/2018"
"Salvatore &Patricia/H&W Anello" ......................."09/16/1998"

1. Porter County Assessors Office - Parcel Search / Appeals Application
2. Low Tax Info
scroll down page for transfer info.

 

[Lawnguylander1964]

UAD means a trust, not sure what UA means, it may be a trust and they just abbreviate due to the limitations of their system.

 

[BrownRice]

I know someone who did just that in her mother’s obit. Regarding this case, I believe SA/family/lawyer used this misnomer to add to the smoke & mirrors of calling him a silver haired elderly and color blind. Anything that garners more sympathy for their lawsuit than to admit flatly that SA is merely 51 boyfriend of KW’s mother. Using the term grandfather invoke endearment. What they cannot win by facts they seem to exaggerate by emotion. $$. JMO.

Exactly. He’s younger than Brad Pitt.

 

[JerseySleuth17]

UAD means a trust, not sure what UA means, it may be a trust and they just abbreviate due to the limitations of their system.

"UA" usually means "under agreement" - could be "under agreement dated"

 

[Lawnguylander1964]

Yes, that's what it stands for, it's a trust.

 

[WiseGuy]

Wow! I had not read about a dock worker noticing what was going on 11 decks above him. I recall that a crew member saw SA holding Chloe up to the window and told him not to do it. Sounded like a bartender or bar waiter who was working in the nearby Squeeze bar. Very telling if a worker on the ground actually saw SA and/or Chloe at the window.

We NEED to see the authoritative source for these reports! Can anyone provide links?

I’ve seen a couple passing references to a dock worker, and to an employee on the 11 th deck. Both of whom supposedly saw AW actually holding Chloe through the open window frame. IMO this is a huge deal, could be more convincing than the video. Why does it seem to go unnoticed?

Would LOVE to learn more about who these eyewitnesses are, and what they would testify to.

Can anyone provide more details?