Police: 1 Child Dead, 1 Seriously Hurt After Falling From Mpls. Apartment Building
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- One child is dead and another is seriously hurt after falling from an apartment building in Minneapolis Thursday afternoon.
Neighbors and community members gathered to remember the child who lost their life, and support the child in the hospital.
Police were called to the 2800 block of Pleasant Avenue South at 2:20 p.m. on a report that two children fell from the Karmel Village apartment building.
"Part of the 911 call was that workers in the area had seen the two children fall," said Minneapolis Police Public Information Officer John Elder.
The workers rushed to help the children until police arrived.
"From any of the heights of that building, going down to a landing that is two-floors subgrade, obviously a great concern," Elder said.
Police say the children were rushed to Hennepin Healthcare in critical condition. Both appeared to be under 4 years old. One of them later died.
The child who survived was upgraded to serious condition later Thursday evening, and their injuries are described as non-life threatening.
Building owner Basim Sabri says more than 300 children live in the building.
"It's a sad day," Sabri said. "We have like a beautiful community inside that is family-oriented."
He says all of the balconies are up to code. And while police have not released where the children fell from, we know that they were not supposed to be alone.
"They were being watched by what was believed to be a responsible adult," Elder said.
The whereabouts of that guardian, and the cause of the fall, are now under investigation.