EVERETT — A 5-year-old boy died after falling from the window of a two-story townhome south of Everett last week, authorities said.
Just after 10 p.m., the boy fell about 15 feet onto the concrete below in the 900 block of 132nd Street SW, said South County Fire spokesperson Christie Veley. It was unclear if the window had a screen.
The boy was taken to Providence Regional Medical Center Everett, but he died of his injuries Saturday, fire officials said.
At least 19 children have fallen from windows in Snohomish County this year, a total that has authorities sounding the alarm. In late June, for example, a 4-year-old Lynnwood girl was severely injured in a fall from the third floor of a townhome.
“These are heartbreaking incidents that can happen to any family,” said Shawneri Guzman, the South County Fire community outreach manager and coordinator for Safe Kids Snohomish County, in a press release. “We want to equip parents with information that can prevent this from happening to another child.”
South County Fire offers a few tips to avoid these falls:
• Use window stops or guards that keep windows from opening more than 4 inches;
• Move furniture such as cribs, beds and tables away from windows;
• Plant bushes and flower beds under windows to soften landing surfaces;
• Don’t rely on window screens to prevent falls;
• Keep windows closed and locked when not in use; and
• Actively supervise children at all times, especially around open windows.
Window stops can be purchased at most hardware stores and online. South County Fire also offers them free to families who cannot afford them. For more information, go to southsnofire.org/PreventWindowFalls
Jake Goldstein-Street: 425-339-3439; jake.goldstein-street@heraldnet.com; X: @GoldsteinStreet.
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