Authorities said the child was hospitalized in stable condition after the Monday morning fall in Morrisania.
NEW YORK — A 5-year-old boy was injured Monday morning after falling from a third-floor window of a Bronx apartment building in the Morrisania neighborhood, according to authorities and a witness who rushed to get help.
The child fell from a window near East 167th Street and Washington Avenue shortly before 11 a.m. and was taken to Harlem Hospital, where he was reported in stable condition. Officials said a parent was home at the time. Investigators were still working Monday to determine exactly how the boy got out of the apartment and what happened in the moments before the fall.
Authorities said early information suggested the child climbed out through a window that did not have bars. The fall happened in a busy section of Morrisania, where neighbors said the morning changed quickly from routine to emergency. A witness, Jesus Toribo, said he first heard a loud thud outside the building. He said the sound did not register at first as a child in danger, but that changed when he opened the door and saw the boy on the ground.
“It was only when I actually opened the door and saw him lying there that it hit me,” Toribo said. He said the child then screamed, making the scene even more alarming. Toribo said he did not try to move the boy because he feared making the injuries worse. Instead, he ran to a nearby fire station for help and then returned to stay close until firefighters arrived.
Toribo said the minutes that followed felt chaotic and slow at the same time. “I didn’t know what to do,” he said, describing himself as shaken and terrified as he waited for emergency responders. He said he kept checking on the child while looking toward the corner for firefighters. By the time help arrived, Toribo said, he was trembling from the stress of the moment.
Officials released few additional details Monday about the child’s injuries or whether anyone else was inside the room when he reached the window. They also did not immediately say whether the window had a screen, whether furniture was positioned nearby, or whether any city agency would review the apartment conditions after the fall. Those details often become important in cases involving young children and window-related injuries.
The location, at East 167th Street and Washington Avenue, sits in a dense residential area where many buildings house families with young children. Incidents involving falls from windows can draw attention to building safety features, especially window guards or bars, though officials in this case did not immediately provide a broader statement about the apartment or whether any violations had been found.
For much of Monday, the known facts remained limited: a young child fell from the third floor, a witness called for help, and the boy survived the initial injuries and was listed in stable condition at the hospital. Authorities had not announced any criminal charges, and there was no immediate indication that foul play was suspected. The focus appeared to remain on the child’s medical condition and the basic facts of how the incident unfolded.
The next steps are expected to center on interviews, a review of the apartment layout and window conditions, and any follow-up by police or city officials. By Monday evening, the child remained hospitalized, and authorities had not released further updates on his recovery or on whether additional findings would be made public.
Author note: Last updated April 7, 2026.