Tourist Grabs Teen, Leaves "Nail Marks" For Spot At Disney Parade

A tourist from Spain has been detained and charged with child abuse after allegedly hurting a 17-year-old girl during a packed evening parade at the Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World.

According to an arrest affidavit obtained by PEOPLE, Martha Lucia Zapata-Echeverri, 51, was taken into custody by the Orange County Sheriff's Office (OCSO) on Monday for the offence of child abuse at Disney's Magic Kingdom in Bay Lake, Florida.

At around 9:40 pm on July 21, park visitors gathered along Main Street USA close to Cinderella Castle when deputies were called to break up an "altercation" between the teenager and Zapata-Echeverri.

Zapata-Echeverri allegedly grabbed the girl's arm during the fight, shortly before the amusement park's nightly parade started.

The 17-year-old explained that she was standing quietly in her designated spot when Zapata-Echeverri put her hand on the teen's elbow, allegedly to provide more space, and told her in Spanish not to touch her.

The tourist allegedly grabbed the teen's arm and yanked her away shortly after, leaving her visible bruises and "nail marks."

According to the affidavit, the youngster was the only person hurt in the encounter, and deputies reported a "small abrasion and bruise."

Authorities claimed neither security footage nor independent witnesses observed the altercation, which took place in a public area where sizable crowds were assembling before the parade.

Suspect Zapata-Echeverri, who was born in Colombia but currently resides in Spain, admitted to deputies that she was trailing her daughter to watch the parade from the front of the crowd.

Inconsistently, she claimed the girl had pushed her first, saying it was "her spot." However, she was unable to provide a clear explanation for how the victim got the "nail marks" and instead "pantomimed" the teenager who had pushed her.

The case is primarily based on the teen's account and the visible injuries to her arm because no other witnesses or CCTV footage prove the encounter.

Zapata-Echeverri was taken into custody and charged with child abuse. She was later released from the Orange County jail after posting a $2,500 (approximately Rs 2 lakh) bond.

Her attorney confirmed she arrived in Central Florida on a tourist visa on July 2 and appeared in court on July 22. Zapata-Echeverri was expected to leave Florida on July 23, per WESH.