Overview

• Martha Lucia Zapata-Echeverri pleaded not guilty to a felony child abuse charge after deputies say she grabbed a 17-year-old’s arm during a July 21 Magic Kingdom parade dispute.
• A judge reduced her bond from $5,000 to $2,500 on July 22 and issued an order prohibiting her from returning to any Disney property while the case moves forward.
• Prosecutors rely on the teenager’s affidavit and visible bruising to support the charge, since no independent witnesses or security footage exist.
• Under Florida law any intentional contact causing injury to a minor can qualify as child abuse, and the victim suffered a small abrasion and bruise on her arm.
• Zapata-Echeverri, in the U.S. on a tourist visa for her daughter’s 15th birthday, is expected to return to Spain pending her next court appearance.