Authorities took a Spanish woman into custody after she allegedly shoved a teenage girl at a parade at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom.
According to a report by USA Today, the incident occurred on Monday while guests were getting ready to watch a parade at the park. The outlet cites documents from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, which reportedly say a 17-year-old girl was hurt in the park. Martha Zapata-Echeverri, 51, allegedly put her hand on the teen to “make space.” The girl reportedly addressed the woman in Spanish, and told her “not to touch her.”
The outlet explains that the situation escalated when the teen tried to help another person pass through. Zapata-Echeverri then “grabbed her by the arm” and pulled her to the side. Court documents suggest that the woman may have hurt the teen. An officer at the scene allegedly noted that the girl had nail marks on her arm. They confronted Zapata-Echeverri about the injury, but her response was not clear.
The documents reportedly state that Zapata-Echeverri claims she was following her daughter through the crowd. She accused the 17-year-old of pushing into her, saying the spot was hers.
Authorities Charged The Spanish Woman And Barred Her From Other Disney Parks
Per a report by Law and Crime, police say the teen had a “small abrasion and bruise on her arm.” The outlet notes there was no CCTV footage or witnesses. Police charged Zapata-Echeverri with one count of child abuse and booked her into Orange County Jail. Her attorney reportedly said she was on holiday in Florida and planning to fly back on Wednesday. Multiple outlets report that a Judge reduced her bail to $2,500, which was posted. They also barred her from accessing any other Disney parks.
Last month, authorities intervened at a wedding at Disneyland Paris after officials discovered the bride-to-be was just a child. The ceremony turned out to be staged, but police still made multiple arrests, including the groom, who claimed he was a film producer. Authorities ultimately arrested four people in connection with the incident, including the child’s mother.