Tragic Incident at Crowne Plaza
Six-year-old Mia Xu tragically drowned in a pool at the Crowne Plaza hotel, located in the Disney World area, during her family’s vacation. The Xu family had arrived in Lake Buena Vista on December 27, 2024, to celebrate the New Year. However, their holiday joy transformed into emotional trauma when Mia, who was swimming near her father and sister, submerged and was later found unresponsive at the bottom of the pool.
According to reports, the father was only a short distance from the girls when the incident occurred. Mia’s sister alerted their father, prompting him to jump in to save her. Despite his efforts, Mia succumbed to her injuries four days later in a hospital.
Legal Action Against the Hotel
In light of this devastating incident, the Xu family is preparing to file a lawsuit against the Crowne Plaza hotel. The family claims that the hotel, along with other parties, is responsible for “dangerous conditions” that contributed to Mia’s tragic drowning.
The legal representation for the Xu family is provided by the Haggard Law Firm, with attorneys Michael Haggard and Maegan Bridwell leading the case. They are focused on highlighting the alleged negligence surrounding the hotel’s safety measures.
Allegations of Pool Safety Violations
Central to the lawsuit are allegations of safety violations at the hotel pool. Notably, there was no lifeguard present during the evening of Mia’s drowning, despite signs that suggested one would be on duty.
Furthermore, the hotel pool’s design included unique water features that created visibility challenges. These features reportedly caused a ripple effect across the water’s surface, making it difficult to see individuals who may have been submerged. Bridwell described the pool layout as potentially hazardous, claiming that it created a deceptive funnel effect akin to an undertow, dangerous for children.
This incident is not isolated, as Florida has recorded the highest rates of unintentional drownings among children aged one to five years. The Xu family’s situation draws attention to ongoing concerns about pool safety, especially in areas frequented by families, such as those surrounding Disney World.
Broader Implications of the Case
The drowning of Mia Xu reflects larger issues regarding the safety of hotel pools, specifically in travel destinations like the Disney World area. The incident may provoke discussions about potential changes to regulations governing pools in the state, as safety standards and responsibilities are critically examined.
Hotels may face increased scrutiny surrounding their adherence to safety protocols, especially in environments where families expect a secure and enjoyable experience. There is a growing recognition that hotels must prioritize visitor safety, ensuring that preventive measures such as lifeguards and safe design practices are not just optional but vital components of their operational policies.
The events surrounding Mia’s drowning at the Disney World area hotel highlight a tragic reminder of the risks associated with water recreational activities and underline the necessity for stringent safety measures to protect children. As the Xu family prepares to pursue legal action, the hope remains that such a tragedy will lead to improved safety practices across hotel pools nationwide.
Author
Sounds like parental neglect to me.
I’m a “snowflake liberal” and I agree with you. You as a parent need to keep eyes on your children at all times! You should never just rely on others in safeguarding positions to do your job as a parent. We always had a set of eyes on our daughter growing up whether it was Disney, Universal, Busch Gardens, Water Country, the bowling alley, the ice skating rink, etc. because it was our job as a parent to ensure her safety! And see, conservatives and liberals can agree on things! Sorry, had to toss some political humor in there since we’ll be in the minority probably on our thinking.
Agree completely with your comments about responsibility ultimately being her family’s supervision.
Agree
yes I think so because why was the parent watching the kid
Absolute tragedy but please stop writing these stories and associating them with Disney. As you know there are a multitude of non-Disney owned hotels in the area surrounding the World. While unlikely – this family may not even have been going to Disney and were there for another occasion. A misleading and poor presentation especially when Disney World is highlighted and “area” is mentioned. You – as an avid Disney fan – should not have even mentioned Disney in the article; this is not fair to Disney.
And shame on greedy attorneys
I agree with all the other posts. It made it seem that the incident happened at a Disney resort hotel which it didn’t. Additionally, if there is any comparative negligence on the part of the hotel it won’t be much. Most of the hotels that do have lifeguards on duty also say swim at your own risk and there are always going to be reflections on the water that distort the bottom of the pool or on the pool surface. Sadly the father was probably distracted and on his phone. I suspect when they subpoena his phone records it will show that. I don’t know how old this child was but any child who isn’t a good swimmer should always be watched or have a flotation device on.
I am fully Agree
I absolutely agree with you, Donna! So tired of the Disney name being used inappropriately. I have been a DVC member since 1995 and Disney always has life guards by the pools, Please stop misusing the Disney name, just report the truth
If there were unsafe conditions and no lifeguards then don’t let your child get in the water.
A preventable tragedy that the parents could have avoided. Their choice led to the tragedy. Not the hotel.
Sad parents want to blame others to get a free payday.
3 Days ago, A family sued disney world area Hotel, After a children aged 6 fell into the pool, and drowned.