By Heron Marquez Estrada
The Star Tribune
ST. PAUL, Minn. — A 2-year-old girl was in serious condition late Sunday after falling from a sixth-floor apartment window in St. Paul.
She was at Gillette Children’s Hospital in St. Paul. The fall happened about 5:30 p.m. in the 100 block of Wayzata Street.
Howie Padilla, St. Paul police spokesman, said investigators have initially ruled the fall an accident, but the investigation is continuing.
Padilla said an adult was home at the time. It is unclear whether charges might result or where the adult was when the girl fell. Padilla said she landed on grass. Police did not detail her injuries.
Capt. Art Baumeister of the St. Paul Fire Department said the toddler was crying when rescuers arrived. “That’s always a good sign,” Baumeister said. “That was a very high fall.”
The fall reportedly occurred at the Lewis Park Apartments on Wayzata Street. Baumeister said a fire crew was in the area so was able to respond more quickly than usual.
In April 2010, two Minneapolis toddlers suffered only scrapes and broken bones in a fall from a third-story window. Three months later, in St. Cloud, a 3-year-old boy survived a fall from a third-story window.
Baumeister said it appeared the 2-year-old Sunday was in a bedroom and pushed through a screen. Baumeister said rescue crews are not sure how the child landed.
“The ground’s not frozen yet. Her body being pliable, that probably benefitted her,” he said. “Or maybe there were some angels there tonight.”
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