Storage box may have broken the fall of toddler who plunged from window
A PLASTIC storage box in the small yard of a house in west Dublin may have given a toddler who fell from a third-storey window a slim chance of survival.
Little Emma Ajayi tumbled from the top-floor window of her home at Mount Garrett Park, Tyrellstown, on Monday evening. She was found unconscious on the ground below.
Last night she remained in a critical condition in Temple Street Children’s Hospital with her mother Erica Olorungbohunmi by her side. She told the Irish Independent that Emma was doing as well as could be expected but could not comment any further. Emma turns two today.
Gardaí at Blanchardstown station are investigating the incident, but it is believed the fall was a terrible accident.
One possibility is that little Emma might have landed first on a plastic storage box on the ground before then tumbling onto the paving slabs of the yard at the back of the property at around 6.30pm.
The child’s mother was at her side in hospital through Monday night and yesterday and is receiving support from her wider family in Dublin.
Tragedy
This is not the first tragedy involving children falling from balconies. In September 2013, Andrea Gaziova, who was just 20-months-old, fell an estimated 30ft at the Tolka Vale apartments on the Finglas Road. She died in the fall.
On August 3, 2012, Nikola Batare, who was just 15-monthsold, fell more than 100ft after climbing onto a window sill on the sixth floor of the converted mill and bakery that is now known as Cross Guns Quay in Phibsboro.
Her parents Marina Batare, from Latvia, and Mustansar Hussain, from Pakistan, were renting the flat, and Marina was looking after another child when Nikola climbed up to he open window and fell out.
Marina looked frantically for her daughter and after finding all the rooms empty she looked out in horror to see Nikola on the ground below.
At her inquest Dublin coroner Dr Brian Farrell warned parents and landlords to be “acutely aware” of the danger of children falling from high-rise buildings.
Returning a verdict of death by misadventure, Dr Farrell said that this is the “third or fourth” inquest in recent years where a child has fallen from an apartment block.