Father fined €3,000 after toddler son dies in fall from Cyprus hotel window
A court in Cyprus has fined a British father €3,000 over the death of his two-year-old son, who fell from a fourth-floor window of a hotel. The man admitted causing death through a reckless or dangerous act.
Paphos District Court in Cyprus has fined Joshua Foster, a 37-year-old man from Essex, England, €3,000 (about £2,500) after his two-year-old son fell to his death from a five-star hotel. The boy fell from a fourth-floor window of the King Evelthon Beach Hotel and Resort in Chlorakas, near Paphos, on 12 July, the first day of the family's holiday.
Foster admitted causing death through a reckless, rash or dangerous act. He was sentenced on Friday morning.
What happened
The court had previously heard that Foster believed the window was closed when he placed his son on the sill to show him the view of a waterpark. He then "lost control" of the child, who fell nearly 40ft (12.1m).
Foster, an auditor, had arrived in Cyprus with his wife, their two children and his in-laws in the early hours of the same day. The family spent the day on various activities, including visiting the pool, before getting ready for dinner.
At about 18:00, Foster, his father-in-law and the boy walked towards an elevator. Foster's lawyer, Alexandros Alexandrou, told the court that his client was in a "good mood" and was playing with his son.
After the sentence
Speaking to reporters after the hearing, Foster thanked people for their support and said he was looking forward to going home to be with his wife and daughter.
