The shocking moment Disney Cruise Line dining room server, 33, 'molested girl, 11, in ship elevator'

PUBLISHED: 13:32 EST, 21 May 2013 | UPDATED: 01:49 EST, 22 May 2013

Surveillance video shows the shocking moment an 11-year-old girl was allegedly molested by a Disney cruise worker at Port Canaveral, Florida just hours before the ship set sail.

Milton Braganza, a 33-year-old dining room server from Goa, India, allegedly fondled the girl's breasts and forcibly kissed her shortly after the Brazilian adolescent boarded the Disney Dream ship on August 5 with her grandmother and sister for a five-night journey to the Bahamas.

Since Florida authorities were not informed, the suspect stayed aboard the ship as it set sail and has since been released by police in the Bahamas to return to his home country, angering U.S.officials.

Scroll down for video

Onboard: Surveillance video shows 33-year-old Indian dining room server Milton Braganza (right) hold open an elevator door for the 11-year-old victim (left)

Encounter: From the video, it appears the man lifts up his hand to usher the girl into the elevator (left). She stands inside while the cruise employee has his back turned to the camera

Claims: Though the suspect's back blocks the camera view, he is seen speaking to the girl and bending down at some point during the encounter

CCTV: Disney Cruise Line server 'molesting' girl of 11

Surveillance video shows the young passenger encountering the cruise line employee at 2:54pm, near the elevators shortly after she boarded the ship. According to estimates, a five day journey on a Disney cruises costs an average of $900 per person.

The girl boarded the elevator, where she said the man grabbed her breast, groped her and then kissed her, putting 'mouth on mouth,' she said according to a cruise security report.

More...

In the video, the man's back is to the camera blocking a view of the girl.

She informed her grandmother of the assault and minutes later video shows the girl, her grandmother and her sister emerging from an elevator and making their way to the ship's customer service desk to report the crime.

Suspect: The manager of the ship's dining facility identified the man in the surveillance video as Milton Braganza, a 33-year-old dining room server from Goa, India

Allegations: Police in Nassau, Bahamas say the suspect Milton Braganza confessed to touching the 11-year-old girl's breast on August 7, two days after the incident

Security officers on the ship began investigating an 'inappropriate sexual act' at 3:22pm and at 4:40pm the dining room manager reviewed the video and identified the man in the footage as Milton Braganza.

There are more than 1,458 employees crew members who work on the ship.

The ship left the port at 5:02pm.

Braganza was called to report into security at 7:50pm.

Florida law enforcement were informed of the incident several hours later, on August 6.

Though the crime is alleged to have occurred nine months ago, details are just coming to light as the cruise line has been criticized for not immediately alerting Florida authorities of the molestation.

Because the incident occurred while the ship was docked, police in Port Canaveral would have jurisdiction because the ship was 1,000 feet from shore, Port Canaveral police chief Joseph Hellebrand told WKMG-TV.

Since they were not immediately informed, the suspect wasn't questioned by U.S. police or apprehended.

Instead, Braganza was questioned by Bahamian police on August 7 in Nassau because the Disney Dream is flagged with the Bahamian flag.

Cruise: The Disney Dream cruise ship can accommodate 4,000 passengers. Estimates suggest the average fare costs $900 per person

Jurisdiction: When the kid-friendly cruise arrived in Nassau, Bahamas (pictured), the suspect was interviewed by local police

During the interrogation, Milton Braganza admitted to police in the Bahamas, 'I touched her on her right breast with my left hand,' according to a police report.

Two days into the trip though, the girl's grandmother told authorities that she did not want the crime investigated.

Authorities in the Bahamas let Braganza go and Disney paid for the man's airfare back to his native India.

If it had been investigated in Florida, charges would have proceeded against the man in spite of the grandmother's opinion, Chief Hillebrand said.

Florida law enforcement are dumbfounded as to why officials would let the man go free.

A spokesman for Disney Cruise Line told the local TV station that the company 'took proper action' in responding to the passenger's allegations.

The company has maintained that cruise line officials did not know an alleged crime had occurred until after the ship had left Florida.

Disney Cruise Line fails to promptly report molestation of 11-year-old girl in port

Add your comments

Comments (73)

The comments below have been moderated in advance.

View all

So sad that my kids will never have the freedom I had as a child. He needs to be brought to justice.

- Ms Hmmm , London, United Kingdom, 22/5/2013 14:33

Click to rate Rating 38

Parents! NEVER allow young children to walk around unescorted on cruise ships, hotels, or any public venue.

- googs , Minneapolis, United States, 22/5/2013 14:30

Click to rate Rating 44

It's quite unfortunate but having worked in the cruiseline industry for 9 years I can tell you that this is not an isolated incident. It's quite common in fact and many guys will try to befriend the parents first let's say in the dining room and then they will make a move on the daughter's after gaining the so called trust from the parents. I would urge parents never to let your kids out of your sight and or know where they are at all times. Just because your on vacation doesn't mean to say you should check in your brains with your luggage at the airport.

- Mexicanwhite , Guadalajara, Mexico, 22/5/2013 14:09

Click to rate Rating 39

Send US Special Forces to get him. A message MUST be sent to ALL men in EVERY country. DON'T INTERFERE WITH CHILDREN.

- Jonno , Croydon, United Kingdom, 22/5/2013 14:01

Click to rate Rating 25

this happened me too! :(

- unflushable , belfast, United Kingdom, 22/5/2013 13:38

Click to rate Rating 3

When they created cruises for the masses, the standards dropped precipitously, just as they did when they created air travel for the masses. Diminishing economically recoverable oil reserves will bring back travel with high-end standards.

- Flanders , OneTwo, 22/5/2013 13:36

Click to rate Rating 2

Yes, SOME jobs for Cruise ships are competed heavily for. But No, the majority of positions on cruise ships are not something most Americans who can pass a background check would want.

- HouseMD , Vienna, United States, 22/5/2013 13:28

Click to rate Rating 6

Yes, yes, yes... but when is the Daily Mail and the rest of the toothless media going to expose the politicians?

- Idontwantausername , Idontliveinacity, 22/5/2013 12:56

Click to rate Rating 4

Why would the girls grandmother NOT want this incident investigated by the police. I find this extremely odd.

- Mypanda , Glasgow, United Kingdom, 22/5/2013 12:49

Click to rate Rating 23

scullybabe, Exeter, United Kingdom, 22/5/2013 8:10 << I don't understand this comment. And I hope you are not implying what I think you are implying, that a certain race has a genetic predisposition to be a sexual predator, when the reality is sexual predators are found in every single race in the world. Are you living in a glass bubble or something? Madness.

- Ayzee , UK, United Kingdom, 22/5/2013 12:36

Click to rate Rating 5

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.