Italian tourist accused of kicking son in face at Epcot

[Dixie Springs]

And he's a doctor!


From News 13

ORLANDO --
Orange County deputies said a father kicked his 3-year-old in the face while at Epcot Saturday afternoon.

Dario Napolitano was freed on $2,000 bond over the weekend. Officials said he is a doctor from Italy visiting Central Florida.

According to the police report, several witnesses told police they saw 41-year-old Napolitano arguing with his wife and children.

Moments later, witnesses said they saw him kick his 3-year-old son in the face at the Mexico exhibit in Epcot's World Showcase.

Investigators said the 3-year-old was sitting in his stroller, when his mother was yelling, "No, no, no."

The child was already crying before he was allegedly kicked in the face by his father.

Detectives said the boy had a cut below his left eye, bruising above his eyebrow and his entire left eye was swollen.

According to the arrest report, an Epcot employee "went up to the child and saw that his face was bloody and the child was crying hysterically."

Through a translator, the father and the child's mother told a different story documented in the same arrest report, blaming his oldest son.

"He yelled at him a second time to stop and he complied throwing [the younger son] out of the stroller on the ground. He went up to his son [the older son] and slapped him twice across the face because he hurt his brother."


Neither Napolitano nor his wife allowed the child to be taken to the hospital.


Investigators said Napolitano checked his son’s injuries and determined he didn't need any further treatment.


The Florida Department of Children and Families was also called to investigate.


“Although we were briefly able to speak with that father while he was incarcerated, we still haven’t been able to see that child and really get a hands on assessment about what’s going on with that family,” said DCF spokesperson Carrie Hoeppner.


Because Napolitano is from Italy, it’s possible the family could be headed back to their home country.


“Working with embassies and the consulate of that country is very, very important,” said Hoeppner. “We want to make sure there’s that continuity of concern.”


Napolitano's whereabouts are unknown since he bailed out of jail.

[ChipNDale79]

What a slime ball.

[Wolf]

Wow....thats a sick dude...:sick:

[SBETigg]

Wow, nasty. What a terrible Disney memory for his family. But I'm sure they live with more than that. I hope the embassy follows up.

[seanyred]

If the father is willing to do that in public, I would be afraid of what he is capable of behind closed doors.

[BayLaker25]

I'm 100% sure if I saw the father do that I would have kicked him in face.

[Joannelet]

Wow. This is disgusting.

[Auntie B]

"If the father is willing to do that in public, I would be afraid of what he is capable of behind closed doors."

That was exactly my thought. Disgusting.

[CajunDisneyDad]

Wow... I have seen meltdowns before...but this is an extremly unhealthy extreme... What a jerk.

[Ian]

I'm not advocating violence by any means, but I can tell you with 100% certainty that if I witnessed this I would have beaten the "father" (and I lose that term very loosely) to a pulp. I wouldn't have been able to restrain myself.

Any "man" (also a term I use loosely) who would kick a three year old in the face is sub-human and deserves as severe a beating as can be issued to him.

[Dixie Springs]

Ditto, ditto, ditto. I would have been the second guest tossed out of the park that day...

[Reedy Creek Buccaneer]

Anyone for dragging him behind a Test Track car?

[DizneyFreak2002]

Disgusting... Utterly disgusting... Someone should kick this guy in the face, and don't stop, while he rots in jail...

[TinkerbellT421]

That is utterly horrendous. :mad: Poor child. I can only imagine what happens within that family that is NOT seen in Public.

[waymickey]

If the father is willing to do that in public, I would be afraid of what he is capable of behind closed doors.
ditto

I'm 100% sure if I saw the father do that I would have kicked him in face.
double ditto

I'm not advocating violence by any means, but I can tell you with 100% certainty that if I witnessed this I would have beaten the "father" (and I lose that term very loosely) to a pulp. I wouldn't have been able to restrain myself.

Any "man" (also a term I use loosely) who would kick a three year old in the face is sub-human and deserves as severe a beating as can be issued to him.
I don't think you would be alone and I am surprised that someone didn't get involved.

[darthmacho]

Poor children. In what should have been their happiest childhood memory, their lives have now been permanently scarred by violence, and from the very person that should have been loving and protecting them. I hope he gets severely punished for his actions.

[CuteAsMinnie]

I am very, very saddened by this....

[Scar]

If he did this, then I agree with all of the comments here. But I don't know, something just isn't adding up here in my mind.

[Buttercup]

I have so many strong thoughts on this, but none of them are Intercot friendly. So I'll just say that this guy's karma isn't good.... he'll get it in the end, one way or another.

[beksy]

What a slime ball.

That just about sums it up perfectly!


If the father is willing to do that in public, I would be afraid of what he is capable of behind closed doors.

My first thought as well...I hope that the officials follow up here or in Italy or both.

[MinnieMommie]

If he did this, then I agree with all of the comments here. But I don't know, something just isn't adding up here in my mind.

Because this is unimaginable for most people it is very hard to wrap our minds around this. This is truly unimaginable.

[Gauis2001]

Anybody for waterboarding here? Completely insane!:angry:

[quack arf squeak]

Im sure Disney gave them fast passes and t shirts and told them to "have a Disney day".:thumbsup:

[figgie]

First I've heard of this, it just breaks my heart at the thought.....:crying:

[emerzmom]

I work for a private non profit that works with the child welfare system. One of our many services is providing treatment and intervention for situations like this. Sadly this kind of thing happens more often than you could possibly imagine. This family needs help and I hope they get it.

[Aurora]

"He yelled at him a second time to stop and he complied throwing [the younger son] out of the stroller on the ground. He went up to his son [the older son] and slapped him twice across the face because he hurt his brother."

Has anyone else noticed that this "father" defended himself by 1. accusing his other son of committing violence and 2. saying he then committed violence against THAT son???

The guy is totally whacked.

[Terra]

I'm not advocating violence by any means, but I can tell you with 100% certainty that if I witnessed this I would have beaten the "father" (and I lose that term very loosely) to a pulp. I wouldn't have been able to restrain myself.

Any "man" (also a term I use loosely) who would kick a three year old in the face is sub-human and deserves as severe a beating as can be issued to him.

Yes this! Typically I'm a pacifist. When it comes to abusing children, all bets are off!

I hope those children will be cut off from that 'father' and suffer no further.

[texas211]

I have so many strong thoughts on this, but none of them are Intercot friendly. So I'll just say that this guy's karma isn't good.... he'll get it in the end, one way or another.

I agree. They should lock him into UofE. I always feel like I've been kicked in the face when I ride it.

While most people on here say they would have stopped it, in reality, most people don't want to get involved. But, crazies do things like this. 2k bond? Apparently the Orlando court system doesn't think much of it either.

[Maleficent's Dad]

I didn't want to post on this thread right away. My 13 year old son was witness to this event. He had gone ahead of us to complete a Phineas & Ferb mission (aka Kim Possible Kimmuncator updated activity). He was at the Mexican pavilion and saw the entire thing.

We showed up a few moments after the events occurred. My son was very upset; he was disturbed by the entire incident.

He relayed the following:
"Dad, don't look over my shoulder, but that man at the stroller just did something bad."
Clearly he was upset, so I encouraged him to go on.
"He was yelling at his younger son (in the stroller) and then he kicked the boy in the face. A lot."
I tried to calm him down and make heads-or-tales of what he was saying.
This is what he reported.
1. The wife did and said NOTHING. This is contrary to the official review, but my son and others swore on this
2. Other men DID intervene trying to calmly get this guy to settle down
3. A CM got involved and sent the other adults on their way. (Unknowingly to most/all at the scene, security and management had been called.)

While I was tempted to get involved, I personally did not witness. We were quite upset that my 13 year old was subjected to this (talk about guilt for allowing him to go ahead of us...).

It wasn't until 1-2 days later when we saw the WESH report on TV that we felt some relief about this.

While we've witnessed some rather poor behavior by guests at WDW and DL, this was far from ordinary and the most abhorrent we've ever experienced. Unfortunately it left a lasting impression on my teenage son.

Would love to know what ever was resolved here...

[Crow]

wow im sorry your son saw this, and that this would happen to any child....

[Mackflava99]

I'm not advocating violence by any means, but I can tell you with 100% certainty that if I witnessed this I would have beaten the "father" (and I lose that term very loosely) to a pulp. I wouldn't have been able to restrain myself.

Any "man" (also a term I use loosely) who would kick a three year old in the face is sub-human and deserves as severe a beating as can be issued to him.

I totally agree with you Ian, I would have had to interfere. There is no way I could stand there and see this going on.

[grumpyguy]

I'm 100% sure if I saw the father do that I would have kicked him in face.

Being a self-proclaimed "Disney cop" I would've
taken action !!
C'mon- NOT at Disney world:mad:
I say the man should be banned for life!!

[SBETigg]

Frank, wow, I am so sorry your son has to live with that memory.

[Terra]

I'm so sorry as well Frank. Just awful :(

[Maleficent's Dad]

wow im sorry your son saw this, and that this would happen to any child....


Frank, wow, I am so sorry your son has to live with that memory.


I'm so sorry as well Frank. Just awful :(
You're all very kind.
Thanks, guys. My son is fine. He was upset at the time, but seems to have shaken it off. He was SO HAPPY when we saw the WESH report that the nut-job was arrested. Since then, he hasn't brought it up. We are on top of him if you're wondering. :mickey:

[Terra]

You're all very kind.
Thanks, guys. My son is fine. He was upset at the time, but seems to have shaken it off. He was SO HAPPY when we saw the WESH report that the nut-job was arrested. Since then, he hasn't brought it up. We are on top of him if you're wondering. :mickey:

This is good to hear :)

[Wolf]

I didn't want to post on this thread right away. My 13 year old son was witness to this event. He had gone ahead of us to complete a Phineas & Ferb mission (aka Kim Possible Kimmuncator updated activity). He was at the Mexican pavilion and saw the entire thing.
...

That breaks my heart your son had to see that, I am really happy to hear he could see that the justice system was in action against the crime he saw. I hate that yall had to witness something so terrible in such a happy place..Ugh...stuff like that just turns my stomach that people think its EVER okay...:sick: