72-year-old molests girl in lazy river at popular Orlando resort, Florida cops say

A 72-year-old man staying at a popular resort in Orlando is accused of inappropriately touching a child in a lazy river, Florida authorities said.

William Chatel of Rhode Island is facing a charge of lewd and lascivious molestation of a victim under 12 years of age, according to Orange County records.

A girl told her parents that she was swimming in a lazy river March 9 at the Club Wyndham Bonnet Creek resort when a man, later identified as Chatel, came up to her and touched her, Orange County Sheriff’s Office deputies wrote in an arrest affidavit.

She recounted she tried to avoid him but saw him the next day in the lazy river and said he “would slow down and float towards” her as she tried to go past him, according to the affidavit.

She got out of the pool in tears and said the same man squeezed her and tickled her, deputies reported.

The girl pointed out the man to a parent, then someone took videos of him swimming up to other young girls who were alone in the lazy river, deputies said.

Law enforcement reported arriving at the resort to find Chatel in the hot tub, then he got out and started walking back to his room, at which point he was detained.

Investigators took DNA swabs from Chatel and arrested him.

“The safety of our guests and associates is our top priority,” Club Wyndham said in a statement shared with WESH. “We have and will continue to work closely with law enforcement, and the guest alleged to have been involved in this incident is no longer welcomed at any of our resort properties.”

Club Wyndham Bonnet Creek is near Walt Disney World.

This story was originally published March 12, 2025 at 12:59 PM with the headline "72-year-old molests girl in lazy river at popular Orlando resort, Florida cops say."