A 4-year-old boy was in critical condition after falling from the 10th floor balcony of a Bronx building on Saturday, police said.
The incident happened around 3:15 p.m. at 1500 Noble Ave. in the Van Nest section of the borough, according to police, who said the plunge appeared to be an accident.
“I heard a girl screaming. And I saw him right there, unconscious,” said witness Nataly Rojas, 11, who pointed to a tree behind the building. “It’s scary, it’s traumatizing.”
A neighbor saw the child being loaded into an ambulance and a “frantic” woman standing near the vehicle, which rushed the boy to Jacobi Hospital.
“I just hope the baby is OK,” the neighbor said.
Wencelesco Marin, a 72-year old retired factory worker who lives in the same building as the child’s family, said he was playing baseball across the street at Noble Playground when the child fell.
Marin blamed negligent parenting for the tragedy.
“You know what, I blame the parents. He’s 4-years-old. He has no business being on the balcony,” said Marin, who lives on the 17th floor.
“He must have climbed up on a chair or something. I have been living here for 24 years, I’ve never heard of anything like this,” Marin told The Post. “You just gotta take care of the kids. You can’t just disregard these kids when they’re playing.”
“Kids are kids,” he said. They don’t know. They climb up on trees, they fall. It’s a miracle he’s still alive. We’re talking about ten floors.”
“I just feel sorry for the kid. I hope he survives.”