Girl who fell off Disney cruise "was not being held" by father at time of incident, authorities say

South Florida law enforcement is investigating after a 5-year-old girl fell overboard from a Disney Dream cruise ship Sunday, prompting her father to jump into the ocean after her.

The Broward Sheriff's Office told CBS News Miami on Tuesday that the "little girl was not being held, as erroneously reported on some social media sites," referring to online speculation that her father may have been holding her on the ship's railing moments before the incident.

The incident happened aboard the Disney Dream as it sailed between the Bahamas and Fort Lauderdale. After she fell overboard, witnesses told CBS News Miami her father jumped in after her and treaded water for more than 10 minutes.

Cell phone video showed the father treading water with his daughter in his arms before handing her over to a rescue boat from the ship before getting into the boat as well.