Six-year-old falls from eleventh floor in Frankfurt (Oder) and dies

„Einsatzkräfte seien zu dem Kind geeilt, das mit schweren Verletzungen vor dem Gebäude in Frankfurt/Oder (Brandenburg) gelegen habe, teilte die Polizei mit." Despite the assistance initiated immediately, all rescue attempts came too late. „Die Rettungsversuche scheiterten demnach, der Sechsjährige sei noch vor Ort gestorben."

Investigations into the exact sequence of events are ongoing. „Die Polizei ermittelt zum genauen Hergang des Unglücks." There were initially no reports suggesting third-party involvement or the participation of other persons. Police also initially provided no further details regarding the time of the fall or the presence of other family members.

Investigations into the circumstances

The incident occurred on Tuesday evening in an apartment building in Frankfurt an der Oder, a city in Brandenburg near the German-Polish border. How a preschool-aged child was able to fall from the balcony of an eleventh-floor apartment is the subject of the ongoing investigation. The public prosecutor's office was involved, according to police.

According to initial reports, residents had alerted the emergency services after discovering the injured boy in front of the building. Emergency responders, including emergency physicians, took over his care. Shortly afterward, they pronounced the child dead.

Police in Frankfurt (Oder) asked any potential witnesses to come forward. Investigators are particularly examining how the boy gained access to the balcony and whether safety features such as balcony doors or windows were locked or unlocked at the time of the incident.

In falls from this height, injuries are in almost all cases so severe that resuscitation efforts are rarely successful. Police confirmed this also applied to the current case. The boy's body is to be autopsied on the orders of the public prosecutor's office to determine the exact cause of death.

Support services for relatives and neighbors

The news of the six-year-old's death caused dismay in the city on Wednesday morning. Passers-by left flowers and candles at the apartment building. The city of Frankfurt (Oder) and local aid organizations also pointed to crisis intervention services available to relatives and neighbors.

Psychosocial emergency care was arranged for the child's mother as well as other residents of the building. Specially trained chaplains are providing support to the families. The nationwide helpline "Nummer gegen Kummer" is also available as an anonymous point of contact for children and young people at the phone number 116111, and for parents at 0800 – 111 0 550.

Investigations by the criminal police in Frankfurt (Oder) are ongoing. According to police, results are not expected before the autopsy and the interviewing of all those involved have been completed. The authorities continue to ask for information from the public.