3-Year-Old Girl Falls From Sixth-Floor Window, Plummets Roughly 60 Feet Before Hitting Ground

A 3-year-old girl is fighting for her life after plunging down six floors from the window of a New York building.

The child was rushed to a hospital in critical condition after she fell from the sixth-floor window of the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) Chelsea Houses in Manhattan on Sunday, police said. Her condition is reportedly stable now.

The child reportedly plummeted 60 feet before landing in a grassy area, reported ABC7NY.

"That is horrible, a 3-year-old. It's sad. It's really sad," Alexa Cruz, a resident, told CBS News.

Another witness said he did not immediately realize it was a child that landed on the ground.

"I saw something falling. The minute I heard the thump when she hit the ground, I heard someone screaming and that's when I knew something had gone wrong and it was a person," he told the outlet. "When I approached I noticed the victim was unconscious. She didn't seem she hit anything, any concrete or gate, or any pieces around. She landed straight on the grass."

The girl sustained severe injuries but is reportedly stable.

"She is a beautiful little girl," a family friend told the NY Daily News. "I heard she only has two broken ribs. That never should have happened."

The family members moved into the apartment complex in January and, at the time, window guards were installed in the apartment, NYCHA said, adding that the window guards were also in place when some unrelated work was done in the apartment last week.

"I think NYCHA should require more inspections on window guards because some of these windows don't have guards," Cruz told the outlet.

"This is an active NYPD investigation. NYCHA is also conducting an internal investigation of this unfortunate incident and will work with the family to ensure they are connected to the services they need," the housing corporation said in a statement.

"Based on an immediate review of our records, window guards were installed on all windows when the family moved into the apartment in January 2023. Less than one week ago, on Wednesday, April 12, property management staff entered the apartment to complete repairs unrelated to window guards, and performed a NYCHA 5 Alive inspection, which includes an inspection for window guards," the statement continued. "Our records indicate that window guards were present on all windows throughout the apartment at that time. There are no open repair work orders on record for the windows, window guards, or air conditioners at the residence."