Baby survives 11-story fall from balcony
A 1-year-old boy is lucky to be alive after falling 11 stories from his family’s Minneapolis apartment balcony on Sunday.
According to USA Today, “the miracle baby” broke both arms, fractured his back and bruised his lungs, but landed on a patch of mulch, which doctors say helped save his life, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
“If you and I fell that far, we would be dead,” Dr. Tina Slusher told the Star Tribune. “He’s a baby and … he happened to land on a very small patch of mulchy area. … He’s a kid. So they tend to be more flexible and pliable than you and I would be. Having said that, it’s a real gift from God that he made it because this is a huge fall.”
A local community activist, Abdirizak Bihi, told the Star Tribune that the boy’s mother was running errands while his dad was watching him and his 3-year-old sister. Bihi said the father had left the room for something when his daughter ran to him saying, “‘Daddy. The baby fell.’”
The apartment building community is now rallying for better safety precautions for children. According to USA Today, residents have suggested installing an additional lock or latch on the balcony door.
“Twenty five percent of the units have requested a block to prevent the door from being opened by children,” George Sherman, president of the community’s management community, told USA Today. “We have had a request for a number in the last couple of days. (We are) looking at more permanent locks that the fire department approves.”
Contact Kira Terry at kterry@reviewjournal.com. Find her on Twitter: @kiraterry
