Child dies in hotel near Paphos. Father sentenced to €3,000 fine

The Paphos District Court sentenced Joshua Foster to a €3,000 fine in connection with the death of his son, who fell from a fourth-floor window of a hotel in Chloraka in July. The verdict was handed down on Friday, October 16, 2026. The Briton had previously pleaded guilty to causing the child's death by negligence.

The court waived the prison sentence. It found that the tragedy resulted from a momentary error, not from long-term negligence or conscious disregard for his son's safety. According to the court's account, it also found no evidence to conclude that alcohol contributed to the accident.

Sentencing after child's death in hotel near Paphos

The case concerned a tragedy during a family holiday in Chloraka, Paphos. The father lifted his son towards a hotel window, believing it was protected by glass. He failed to notice that part of the window was open.

In imposing the sentence, the court distinguished responsibility for failure to exercise due care from conduct involving knowingly endangering a child. It found that the circumstances of this case did not justify a deprivation of liberty.

A fine means a conviction, not an acquittal. The court found the father liable, but decided on a financial penalty.

The father was convinced that the window was closed.

According to the Cyprus Mail, Foster was walking down a hotel corridor with his son and father-in-law. The child tried to look towards the pool where the family had been spending time earlier.

The father lifted the boy to the window. He fell almost immediately, before he could react.

The court found that lifting the child without first checking the window's safety device constituted negligence. However, it did not find that the father knowingly exposed his son to danger or continued risky behavior after recognizing the danger.

This distinction was crucial to the sentencing. The court did not minimize the consequences of the incident, but also assessed the father's actions and the degree of his culpability.

What did the court find regarding alcohol?

The issue of alcohol consumption was also considered during the investigation. According to the Cyprus Mail, people who had contact with Foster before and after the incident—including hotel staff and police officers—did not describe any behavior suggesting impairment.

The court found no basis to attribute alcohol to the tragic fall. This does not mean that the man had not been drinking at all. The ruling focused on whether the evidence linked alcohol to his behavior and the accident.

Defense attorney Alexandros Alexandrou emphasized the importance of this finding after the hearing, emphasizing that assessing responsibility should be based on evidence, not conjecture.

Why was no prison sentence imposed?

In assessing mitigating circumstances, the court considered Foster's clean criminal record, cooperation with law enforcement, and his guilty plea. This allowed the court to avoid a full evidentiary hearing and the associated additional burden on the family.

Particular importance was also attached to the fact that the victim was his own son, and the consequences of the tragedy will accompany the family for the rest of their lives.

The court considered imprisonment but decided that, in the specific circumstances, a financial penalty would be sufficient. It also emphasized the seriousness of the crime, which resulted in the loss of life.

The defense attorney criticized the conduct of the proceedings

Alexandrou recalled that the defense had previously requested that the prosecution be terminated on humanitarian grounds. This request was denied.

Following the verdict, the lawyer reiterated his belief that the proceedings had hindered the family's ability to grieve. This position, taken by the defense, is distinct from the court's findings regarding liability and punishment.

According to the Cyprus Mail, the fine will be deducted from his previously paid bail. Foster was also waiting for the return of his documents to be completed so he could return to the UK and rejoin his family.