3-year-old dies after falling from a cliff into the Mamaroneck River, police say
A Westchester County community is mourning the accidental death of a 3-year-old in a river.
The family says his death was preventable.
Here's what police say happened
Village of Mamaroneck police say it was Thursday just after noon when 3-year-old Zaire Alberick wandered two blocks from his home near North Barry Avenue and First Street. EMS crews later pronounced him dead after finding him in the Mamaroneck River near the Hillside Avenue Bridge.
Police say Zaire fell from a small cliff approximately 10 feet into the river. The family said his death could have been prevented had there been a protective barrier.
"When he went to go look at it, there was a ball in there, and he loved balls. So we think, perhaps, he wanted to retrieve the ball," said Denise Barnes, the little boy's aunt. "The house is right there. He walked right into the river. The fact that there is no fence is horrific."
"At times like this, you need community"
Tears flowed at the very spot where Zaire fell to his death.
"He was 3. He was just a beautiful little boy," Barnes said.
Friends and strangers bonded, holding hands and providing a pillar of strength for the grieving family.
"There's no words. It's just a feeling that we are all here," parent Emily Myers said.
"At times like this, that's what you need. You need community," parent Ashley Mauriello said.
The tragedy is making many realize how quickly a life can fade.
"It can happen. I have a little one that's very curious. I can't even imagine, truly," Mauriello said.
"We both have children who are 3, so we just think it could be any one of us," Myers said.