Chicago cops say a 4-year-old boy hurt himself when he fell out of an apartment window on Memorial Day.
Just before 2:40 p.m., police were called to a house in the Bronzeville neighborhood of the city on the 3700 block of South Vincennes.
Lekesha Sails said that her son Kevin was lucky to fall in the bushes next to the apartment building. He got scratched and bruised, but not worse.
The boy had a bruise on his forehead, and the police said he was taken to Comer Children’s Hospital for care.
“He was just screaming and hollering and throughout the whole process, when we went to the hospital, he was in and out,” she told me.
Sails said she went to the bathroom when Kevin, who was excited and interested, opened his bedroom window and fell from the third floor. She also said that the problem could have been avoided.
Sails said that Kevin has autism and that their apartment at Oakwood Shore Apartments doesn’t meet their needs. She pointed out that there was uncovered wiring, a patio door that doesn’t lock, and another exit that Kevin could easily open with a lever. She also said that the window he fell out of after pushing open didn’t even have a screen to keep him out.
She said she had been asking for years for a safer room for her son. She said the worries about her safety are no longer just thoughts and that she needs help getting out.
“I think going somewhere new will make me feel better. This place doesn’t make me feel safe. And most of all for his safety right now,” she said.
Kevin’s injuries don’t look too bad, but his mother said he has follow-up meetings with the doctor to check on his spine and brain function.
Chicago police said that officers from Area One are still looking into the case.
Statement from the Chicago Housing Authority
The Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) is aware of an unfortunate incident involving a child injured after falling from a third-floor window at 3737 S. Vincennes, a property owned and managed by The Community Builders (TCB). We are relieved to learn that the child is stable and expected to survive after sustaining injuries from the fall. CHA provides rental subsidy for some units on the property and is working closely with TCB to gather more information about the circumstances surrounding the incident and to determine appropriate next steps to ensure the continued safety of ALL residents and CHA subsidized households. Resident safety remains our top priority, and we are committed to supporting all parties affected by this event.
“This article was written by Mathew Owen. AI tools were used lightly for grammar and formatting, but the ideas, words, and edits are all mine.”
