A Brazilian man was arrested on April 21 for alleged battery and has received a permanent ban from all Walt Disney World properties after an incident with a character assistant in EPCOT.
According to the report, Diego Rodriguez, 42, became aggressive toward a Cast Member working as the assistant to a Mirabel actress.
What happened?
The Cast Members reported that the Mirabel actress and her assistant were moving around the park to meet with guests when a child “ran up and tried to hug Mirabel from behind, interrupting a family that Mirabel was already meeting with.”
The report says that Mirabel’s assistant stepped in between the character and the child and told the parents they needed to wait for a turn or for Mirabel to come over to them.
From here, there are conflicting reports with some outlets reporting that the child’s mother wanted Mirabel to sign an autograph book, but the character actress said she was only doing photos.
After this, the father reportedly “forcibly grabbed [the assistant’s] right arm and shook her while yelling and questioning why she wouldn’t let his kid meet the character.” Rodriguez said, “Why can everyone take a picture but us?”
He was arrested and charged with a first-degree misdemeanor battery charge, and was permanently trespassed from the Walt Disney World property
Rodriguez was released two days later after paying a $2,000 bond. Yesterday, April 29, he pleaded “not guilty” and has asked for a jury to hear his case.
Children will run without thinking, so it is understandable if a kid runs up to hug a character instead of waiting for their turn, but the father’s alleged behavior was unacceptable.
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