A Florida vacation took an ugly turn for one tourist after an altercation at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom led to her arrest on child abuse charges.
Martha Lucia Zapata-Echeverri, 51, a Spanish citizen originally from Colombia, was watching the nighttime parade on Main Street U.S.A. near Cinderella Castle when things spiraled out of control. According to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, Zapata-Echeverri allegedly assaulted a 17-year-old girl in an attempt to secure a better view.
The teen told deputies she was standing in her spot along the parade route when Zapata-Echeverri first touched her while “trying to make space.” The encounter reportedly escalated when the teen stepped back to let a friend move forward, prompting Zapata-Echeverri to grab her by the arm and yank her aside, leaving visible bruises and a scratch.
Zapata-Echeverri, who had entered the U.S. on a tourist visa earlier this month, gave a different version of events. She claimed she was simply trying to follow her daughter through the crowd and that the teen had pushed her while claiming ownership of the spot.
Despite her defense, Zapata-Echeverri was arrested, booked into the Orange County jail, and charged with child abuse. She appeared before a judge, pleaded not guilty, and was released on a $2,500 bond.
As part of her bond conditions, the judge barred her from setting foot on any Disney property for the remainder of her stay.
Her attorney said she was scheduled to fly back to Spain just two days after the incident.
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Yep, illegal stepping on the rights of American children. Hope this scumbag woman was escorted dirty to “Toon Town Jail” for extradition back to her own shithole!