EVERETT—A 5-year-old boy has died after from injuries sustained after a fall from an Everett two-story townhome window in Everett, South County Fire reports.
On Friday, August 30, South County firefighters responded to the fall at a townhome in Everett. The boy fell approximately 15 feet onto concrete slab below. Firefighters rushed the 5-year-old to the hospital, where he later died from his injuries.
At least 19 children have fallen from windows in Snohomish County this year, South County Fire reports.
“These are heartbreaking incidents that can happen to any family,” said Shawneri Guzman, South County Fire Community Outreach Manager and coordinator for Safe Kids Snohomish County. “We want to equip parents with information that can prevent this from happening to another child.”
Parents and caregivers of young children are urged to take these precautions:
- Use window stops or guards that keep windows from opening more than 4 inches.
- Move furniture such as cribs, desks, beds and tables away from windows.
- Plant bushes and flower beds under windows to soften landing surfaces.
- Do not rely on window screens to prevent falls.
- Keep windows closed and locked when not in use.
- Actively supervise children at all times, especially around open windows.
Child safety window stops can be purchased online and at most hardware stores. Window stops prevent a young child from opening a window but are easily removed in case of a fire.
Window stops are available free for families who cannot afford them, made possible by grant funding. Visit https://www.southsnofire.org/PreventWindowFalls.
Author: Mario Lotmore
