An 8-year-old girl was airlifted to a local trauma center Thursday after falling from a balcony opening at a North Miami Beach apartment building, according to Miami-Dade Fire Rescue and North Miami Beach Police.
Crews responded to the three-story building at 2150 Northeast 169th Street for reports of a medical call involving a long fall, fire rescue officials said. Officers arriving at the scene found the child alert and conscious, police said.
What officials say
Police said it appeared the girl was exiting a window in an attempt to get to the balcony when she fell. She was transported by helicopter to a trauma center for treatment, fire rescue officials said. Later updates from police indicated the child was in stable condition and sustained no broken bones.
"The incident is under investigation but no foul play was suspected at this time," police said.
At the scene
Cell phone video from the scene showed the girl on the ground being assisted by three adults; in the footage she appears to be moving her arms. One witness told reporters he saw the girl hanging from a window and rushed to help but could not reach her in time.
- Location: 2150 NE 169th St., three-story apartment building
- Victim: 8-year-old girl, found alert and conscious
- Response: Airlifted to a local trauma center; later reported in stable condition with no broken bones
Investigation and community concerns
North Miami Beach Police said a parent was at the scene and that investigators are reviewing the incident. Officials did not release further details about whether building safety features, window guards or other protective measures were present at the unit.
Accidental falls from windows and balconies can raise questions about apartment safety standards, supervision and building code compliance. At this time, authorities have not issued citations or released findings from the ongoing investigation.
News Block will continue to monitor updates from Miami-Dade Fire Rescue and North Miami Beach Police and report new information as it becomes available.
