Concerns Grow Over Child Falls from Windows

In the past five months, four children have fallen from windows in the city, raising alarms among some politicians who are urging Mayor Zoran Mamdani to prioritize addressing the pressing everyday issues faced by New Yorkers instead of engaging in unnecessary political theatrics.

Fortunately, all four children survived their falls.

The most recent incident took place in the Bronx on Monday, when a 5-year-old named Dylan Mokete fell from his family’s fifth-floor window at 30 Buchanan Place, resulting in serious injuries, according to law enforcement officials.

Reports indicate that Dylan’s mother left for the Dominican Republic a day prior, leaving him in the care of his 22-year-old sister.

Authorities shared that Dylan managed to crawl out the window around 7 p.m. while his sister was in the kitchen, mistakenly believing he was in bed.

The young boy fell approximately 50 feet to the sidewalk and was taken to New York-Presbyterian Hospital in critical condition.

“He has multiple fractures,” described a family friend, who chose to remain anonymous.

“Thank God his vital organs were not harmed,” the friend noted. “The trash on the ground… it cushioned his fall. He really lucked out.”

Friends mentioned that the window guard was improperly installed, allowing Dylan to escape through the window.

A spokesperson for the Department of Health revealed that none of the windows in the apartment complied with a 50-year-old city regulation mandating window guards for any windows other than emergency exits in residences with children under the age of 10.

These windows “had gaps exceeding 4.5 inches and were not secured as required,” according to the spokesperson.

Other incidents include:

• On April 6, a 5-year-old boy with autism fell from a third-story window at 484 East 167th Street in Morrisania. Officials reported the absence of a window bar due to the window facing a fire escape. The boy’s mother mentioned she had asked the landlord for removable window gates, but her request was turned down.

• On May 27, around 6:45 p.m., a 3-year-old girl fell from a second-story window at 64-06 Myrtle Avenue in Glendale, Queens. Because it was a two-family home, the homeowner was not required to adhere to the window safety regulations.

• On July 17, a 1-year-old boy fell from a fifth-floor window at 593 Oak Terrace in Mott Haven. Although he didn’t live at that address, he was conscious and alert when first responders arrived. After the incident, “the building management installed a security guard at the apartment, as mandated by the health department,” the spokesperson stated.

During the last fiscal year that concluded on June 30, encompassing the initial six months of the Mamdani administration, the HPD reported at least 5,868 window safety violations in the city—a 17% drop from the over 7,000 violations noted the previous year.

City Councilman Phil Wong emphasized to the Post that the enforcement of window safety laws requires closer scrutiny.

“It’s alarming to see four children fall from windows in such a short time frame, and the city should urgently assess if current window safety laws are adequately enforced and identify any necessary improvements,” Wong remarked.

He argued, “Instead of getting caught up in international and domestic politics or TikTok trends, this administration should really concentrate on the fundamental, day-to-day governance issues that, while perhaps not glamorous, are essential for New Yorkers.”

Councilwoman Joanne Arriola pointed out that the mayor “ran on a platform of enhancing life for tenants,” yet has instead spent months preoccupied with unrelated matters.

She argued, “It’s been eight months of ranting about other issues.” Arriola further criticized the mayor for engaging in “unnecessary political theater.”

A spokesperson from the City Health Department claimed, “There has been no uptick in window falls this year compared to the last five years. New York City’s window security laws have prevented numerous fall incidents over the past 50 years. In fact, before this legislation, hundreds of children fell out of windows annually, and that number has been in the single digits for at least the last five years.”