A toddler who apparently pushed open a second-floor window of a barrier island home and fell out of the window to the ground has avoided serious injury.
The incident occurred just past 5 p.m. on Jan. 15 at a home on Peregrine Drive, which is part of The Sanctuary, a gated-community.
The Melbourne Police Department was on scene to determine if neglect was involved, but determined it was just an unfortunate accident, according to Lt. Shawn Eising.
“The parent had left a second-story window open a bit to let air in and the toddler was able to get the window open further and then pushed the screen off and fell out,” Eising said. “There were no life-threatening injuries at that time.”
While Eising said the injuries appeared to be minor, they may possibly include a broken arm.
“Because of the child’s age, the child was flown to Orlando by helicopter,” Eising said.
Children involved in traumatic accidents are often flown to Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children in Orlando because its emergency department and trauma center are part of the only Level One Trauma Center in the area.
On Jan. 1, another toddler, injured after falling into the rhino exhibit at the Brevard Zoo, was also flown to Arnold Palmer – and later released.
The helicopter, which landed a few blocks away on the front lawn of St. Mark’s Methodist Church at 2020 N. Highway A1A in Indialantic, was a First Flight air ambulance from Health First.
Concerned neighbors who witnessed the landing took to social media to express well wishes for the injured and try to find out more details.
On a post on Nextdoor.com, a community-based social sharing site, Paul Yeager said he rode his bike to the scene and witnessed the child being transferred to the helicopter. “Many Prayers.” He wrote
Others shared information from various news outlets as they received it.
The child’s identity and current condition have not been released.
