Toddler dies after falling from balcony in Dubai

Dubai: An 18-month-old boy has died after falling from the balcony of his family's fourth-floor apartment in International City.

Lieutenant Colonel Ahmad Humaid Al Merri, Director of Criminal Investigation Section at Dubai Police's Criminal Investigation Department (CID), said disaster struck the Asian family when the boy climbed onto a chair on the balcony while his mother was busy. He fell off the balcony while he was leaning over.

The toddler died in the ambulance while on the way to hospital.

Victim support

When police arrived at the scene the boy's mother was inconsolable, according to Lt Col Al Merri.

She told police that she did not think her child was capable of climbing onto the chair or hanging out of the balcony, adding that her entire family was devastated because of the toddler's death.

A team from the CID's Victim Support Programme was assigned to speak with the child's family and offer their condolences, in line with instructions by Brigadier Khalil Ebrahim Al Mansouri, Director of CID, as according to him, such incidents involving small children are major tragedies for their families.