Bronx 2-year-old girl dies after falling from 5th-floor window

A 2-year-old girl died after falling from a fifth-floor apartment window in the Bronx on Tuesday night, according to her parents and police. The toddler, identified as Julia, fell from her family’s apartment around 10:37 p.m., her mother said.

Parents Describe Their Grief

Julia’s father, Chayanne Polanco, said he received a call about the incident while heading home and could not believe it was real. I couldn’t believe it. I thought it was a hoax. I thought it was someone else. But they kept on insisting I should go to Harlem hospital, Polanco said. I can’t believe she’s gone. The couple had long struggled to have a child before Julia was born, bringing them immense joy.

2-year-old girl dies after falling from window of Bronx apartment

Circumstances of the Fall

Wilcox said she briefly left the room and noticed on a baby monitor that Julia was no longer there. I saw on the monitor she wasn’t there and I went to run back and she was not. She was gone and she was out the window, Wilcox said. Police sources reported the child fell after pushing out an accordion-style divider between a window and an air conditioner. The parents noted that only some of their apartment windows have window guards, and the one Julia fell through did not. Police suspect no criminality in the case.

Superintendent’s Attempt to Help

The building superintendent, Jose Sosa, said he attempted to save the child. I hoped to do something but I couldn’t, Sosa said. I hoped to find some kind of life in her but she had no life. Wilcox ran downstairs after the fall, trying to climb a fence to reach her daughter in an alleyway.

Wabc child mother inset — Photo: abc7news.com

Julia’s parents remembered her as energetic and full of life, sharing that they had recently taken her trick-or-treating for the first time. If there’s anything that I would like to say is please watch your children and bring awareness to better, safer child care, Wilcox said. Please hold your babies because one day they’re not going to be here.