A British executive has pleaded guilty in Cyprus to causing the death of his two-year-old son following a fall from a hotel window. Joshua Foster, 37, an artificial intelligence specialist and director at KPMG, was on holiday with his family at the five-star King Evelthon Beach Hotel in Chlorakas, near Paphos when the incident occurred on July 12.

According to court proceedings, the toddler fell from a fourth-floor corridor window on the family’s first full day at the hotel. Foster, who was accompanied by his wife and five-year-old daughter, initially denied that he had been swinging his son near the window, stating he had simply placed the child on the window ledge. The child sustained severe head injuries and was unresponsive when emergency services arrived. Despite immediate medical attention, the boy was unable to be saved.

Foster was arrested on suspicion of neglect and held in custody for eight days during the investigation. Police quickly ruled out any deliberate harm, acknowledging that Foster may not have been aware the sliding window was open. Following initial detention, he was granted bail, allowing him to return briefly to the UK to attend his son’s funeral. Foster reportedly had to inform his daughter of the tragedy remotely via FaceTime while still in custody, as bail had been initially denied.

Legal representation for Foster requested the Cypriot Attorney General to drop the charges on humanitarian grounds, citing the family's distress. The request was denied, and during a brief hearing at Paphos district court, Foster admitted to causing death by a rash, reckless, or dangerous act. His lawyer, Alexandros Alexandrou, stated that Foster chose to plead guilty to bring closure to the case and return to support his grieving family. Sentencing is scheduled for October 5.

The incident has renewed scrutiny of the King Evelthon Beach Hotel's safety record. The toddler is the third British tourist to have died at the hotel since 2022. Previous cases include the drowning of 21-year-old Ben Woods from Greater Manchester in July 2022 and six-year-old Ruaridh Nairne from Inverness in 2024, both involving fatal incidents at the hotel’s pool area.

The investigation into the latest tragedy concluded that it was an accident, though charges relating to negligence remain pending. Foster faces up to four years in prison depending on the court's ruling.