A two-year-old boy in Chongqing, China, has died after falling from an 18th-floor apartment window while his father was briefly away walking the family dog.
The incident happened on Sept 13 at Ocean Park in Chongqing, where the family of three was staying for the weekend, according to Chinese media outlet The Paper.
The boy’s mother, surnamed Liu, had left for a work event at a nearby hotel, leaving her husband, surnamed Cui, at home with their son.
At about 3.26pm, Cui placed the boy on the living room sofa to watch cartoons before leaving the apartment to walk the dog.
When he returned about 12 minutes later, he realised that his son was no longer inside the apartment.
As Cui searched the unit, he heard someone outside shouting that a child had fallen from the building. He then saw his son on the ground below.
Cui told media that the balcony railing was more than a metre high, while a screen that had previously been installed over the balcony had been removed. The window was also open at the time.
Surveillance cameras inside the apartment were not plugged in, making it difficult to determine exactly what happened.
Forensic examiners reportedly believe the boy climbed out through the window after stepping onto the edge of a bathtub on the balcony. He was reportedly holding his blanket at the time.
During the fall, the boy is believed to have struck a tree branch, suffering severe internal bleeding that proved fatal. No other external injuries were found.
Cui was taken to a police station for questioning but was later released after authorities determined there was no evidence of abuse.
While making arrangements for his son’s wake, Cui reportedly said the incident was unintentional but that he was willing to take responsibility. He also expressed guilt and said he wanted to complete the funeral arrangements before comforting his wife.
However, The Paper reported that Liu accused her husband of not doing enough to care for their child. The couple had reportedly argued about household chores and childcare responsibilities several days before the incident.
Liu said her main request was for her husband to acknowledge his mistakes.
