MIAMI – The great uncle of an 8-year-old girl who died after falling two stories on a Carnival Cruise ship Saturday said the family is searching for answers in the girl's death.
"We want answers, and to see surveillance video from inside the cruise ship," Damien Fox, the girl's uncle, said.
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The Miami-Dade Police Department said Zion Smith fell from a deck inside the Carnival Cruise Line's Glory ship's interior atrium to the lower deck while docked at PortMiami. The ship had just arrived from a week-long trip and passengers were disembarking when the incident happened about 8:15 a.m.
Miami Department of Fire-Rescue Capt. Ignatius Carroll said paramedics took Zion to Jackson Memorial Hospital's Ryder Trauma Center in extremely critical condition. She was reported to be dead a few hours later.
Fox described the girl, Zion Smith, of Nassau, Bahamas, as a happy, loving, playful straight-A student and active child.
Zion and her baby brother traveled with their mother, her boyfriend and his family on a vacation.
Fox said some of the family members who were on the trip said they believe as an elevator door opened, several people were pushing and shoving to get out and that may have caused the girl to get pushed and fall over the railing. He said no matter what, the family will be pursuing some sort of legal action.
Miami-Dade police Detective Alvaro Zabaleta said investigators were working closely with the cruise line to determine the details surrounding the incident.
"Our most heartfelt care and concern is with the family at this very difficult time," Carnival Cruise Lines' Jennifer de la Cruz, the vice president of corporate communications, said in a statement.