A father has been fined after his two-year-old son died falling from a hotel window while on a family holiday in Cyprus.
Joshua Foster was showing his young boy the view of a water park from a window at the resort when he lost control of the child. The toddler fell and suffered fatal injuries in the tragedy that has left a family devastated.
Foster appeared in court and was handed a fine following the incident. The case has raised fresh questions about window safety standards at holiday resorts popular with British families, particularly where young children are involved.
Accidents involving children and unsecured hotel windows have long been a concern for safety campaigners. Young children can move quickly and unpredictably, and windows that open wide enough to present a view can also present a deadly risk in a matter of seconds.
Holiday resorts across the Mediterranean attract millions of British tourists every year, many travelling with young families. Campaigners have repeatedly called on hotels to fit window restrictors as standard in rooms where families with young children are staying, but enforcement remains patchy and inconsistent across different countries.
The fine handed to Foster reflects the court finding that he bore some responsibility for losing control of his son in that moment, though the case is also a stark reminder of how quickly tragedy can strike on what should be a happy family break.
Safety charities in England have urged parents travelling abroad to check window safety in hotel rooms as soon as they arrive, requesting that staff fit restrictors if none are in place, and to never assume that a window is safe simply because it appears difficult to open.