Tourist Charged with Child Abuse at Walt Disney World

A visitor has been accused of child abuse after allegedly grabbing a teenage girl during a confrontation at Disney’s Magic Kingdom to improve her view of a parade.

According to an affidavit from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, Martha Lucia Zapata-Echeverri, 51, reportedly left nail marks on the girl’s arm while trying to push her aside. The incident occurred Monday evening as Zapata-Echeverri was attempting to secure a good spot for the parade on Main Street.

The teenage girl told deputies she was waiting on the sidewalk in front of the castle when Zapata-Echeverri placed her hand on her, supposedly to make space. The girl requested Zapata-Echeverri not to touch her in Spanish, but Zapata-Echeverri allegedly responded by grabbing her by the arm and pulling her to the side, resulting in a bruise and abrasions. The tourist, who was accompanied by her daughter, accused the girl of instigating the fight by pushing her and claiming the spot as her own.

The suspect could not explain how she acquired the nail marks, asserting she only mimed pushing the girl. The altercation ended when deputies separated the two at around 9:40 p.m. No video footage of the incident has been recovered.

Zapata-Echeverri, originally from Colombia and residing in Spain, was uninjured during the encounter. She had arrived in the U.S. on July 2 on a tourist visa and was scheduled to return to Spain on Wednesday. Her bond was reduced to $2,500, and she was prohibited from Disney properties.