Joshua Foster was fined 3,000 euro (£2,500) in Cyprus after pleading guilty to causing the death of his two-year-old son, who fell from a fourth-floor hotel window.
A British man has been fined for causing the death of his two-year-old son, who fell nearly 40ft from a fourth-floor window of a hotel in Cyprus during a family holiday.
Joshua Foster, 37, pleaded guilty to causing death through a reckless, rash or dangerous act. He was sentenced at Paphos District Court, where District Judge Froso Christodoulidou read out the penalty of 3,000 euro (£2,500).
The incident occurred at the King Evelthon Beach Hotel and Resort in Chlorakas. Foster, his wife, two children, and in-laws had arrived in Cyprus in the early hours of July 12.
After spending the day carrying out activities, the family returned to their rooms to get ready for dinner. Foster, his father-in-law, and his son left their rooms and walked towards the elevator at around 6pm. As they approached the lift, the boy noticed a waterpark outside.
Foster’s lawyer, Alexandros Alexandrou, told an earlier hearing that Foster pushed the elevator button and placed the child on the windowsill to show him the view. The court heard that Foster did not realize the window was open, believing there was protective glass and that the window was shut. The boy looked out and fell before Foster had a chance to react.
Prosecutor Chryso Pergandi stated that police received reports at around 6.40pm on July 12 that a child had fallen from the fourth floor. The boy was taken to Paphos General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead despite resuscitation efforts.
Foster’s father-in-law told the court that Foster had picked up his son and placed him on the window to “see the view” before the fall. Foster gave a voluntary statement to police, saying his son “fell before he had a chance to grab him.”
The court heard that the window was 2.85 metres (9.3ft) wide and 1.2 metres (3.9ft) high. Mr. Alexandrou stated that the moment will “haunt him for the rest of his life.” He added: “We’re allowed, even when we’re happy, to lose our concentration. And in that moment he was happy, he held his child.”
The case illustrates the legal consequences in Cyprus for accidental deaths resulting from momentary lapses in supervision. Foster, an auditor from Essex, faced charges for a reckless act rather than intentional harm, resulting in a fine rather than imprisonment.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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