Tokyo child fatality after 11th-floor apartment fall

A five-year-old boy died after falling from the 11th floor of an apartment building in Akabane-dai, Kita Ward, Tokyo, on September 15.

The incident occurred shortly after the boy and his mother returned from shopping. While the mother was moving groceries between the first floor and their 11th-floor residence, the boy fell from the balcony. Witnesses reported seeing the child hanging from the outside of the railing, calling out for his mother, before falling approximately 32 meters.

The balcony was equipped with a 120cm high railing. Investigators noted there were no stools or climbing aids nearby, suggesting the child may have climbed the railing himself. The Metropolitan Police Department is currently investigating the exact circumstances of the accident.