By The newspaper
30 Jul 2024, 00:52 AM EDT
The Independence Police Department is investigating the death of a 3-year-old boy who fell from an 8th-story window of an Independence, Missouri, building. When paramedics arrived on the scene, the boy was alive and tried to tear off his breathing mask, but was pronounced dead hours later.
Independence Fire Chief Eric Michel told the Kansas City Star that the boy fell around 10 a.m. at Independence Towers, an apartment building near N. Jennings Road and E. Susquehanna Drive in suburban Kansas City.
When emergency services arrived he was still breathing.
Emergency crews arrived at the scene and found a 3-year-old boy face down in the grass with multiple serious injuries. The infant was unconscious and breathing on the way to Centerpoint Medical Center, but shortly after being given oxygen, he woke up and tried to remove the mask from his face, FOX4 reported.
After Centerpoint, the victim was immediately transported to Children’s Mercy Hospital, where he died hours later from his injuries.
According to the police report, the boy had broken bones, head trauma and internal bleeding. Authorities said the boy died at 3 p.m., the Kansas City Star reported.
“Heartbreaking call”
“It’s a heartbreaking call, something you take home with you,” said Fire Chief Michel. “They’ll remember it for the rest of their careers.” He added that his heart goes out to his family.
“This is not the first time children have fallen out of windows. Be vigilant, be careful, whether you live in an apartment building or in your own home,” Michel told FOX4 KC.
“Make sure you have window stops, especially in children’s rooms. Anything like this can happen to anyone,” he added.
Police are investigating the circumstances that led to the fall, Independence Police Officer Kelley Rupert told FOX4.
They did not give further information because the investigation is ongoing, they only shared that the minor was not alone when the fatal accident occurred.
The building’s air conditioning doesn’t work
One of the neighbors shared with the same news station that most of the building’s residents have their windows open because they have problems with the air conditioning, and they thought things would improve when they changed management, but that was not the case, they continue with the same problem.
According to a report from the fire chief, they have had to go to the Independence Towers building on several occasions, either because of problems with pests or because they had to evacuate 27 apartments due to a fire.
Michel said that in the past three years, police and firefighters have been called to the building more than 700 times. Although the new owners have invested in repairs, it seems that much remains to be done.
Rent at Independence Tower apartments ranges from $775 to $875 per month, not including utilities.
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