A 11-year-old girl tumbled from the seventh floor of a family shelter in Colorado, as her parents opened a window due to the extreme heat inside their apartment, as per a police report.
The girl’s father informed investigators that they were playing and she ran toward the window, unaware it was open because the curtain was blocking her view.
The child tumbled five levels onto a canopy located on the second floor of the Taramac Family Shelter, which is managed by theSalvation Army, in Denver, on July 7.
As per a police report acquired by 9 News, she had “clear breaks in both legs, along with injuries to her face and head.”
The report mentioned that the family opened the sliding glass door the previous night because of the high temperature. “They opened the window because of the intense heat and difficulty in breathing,” the parents had explained to the police, according to the report.
When a detective came by later, he observed, “the apartment was warm and the air conditioning was either off or not working… [The detective] spent around 10 minutes in the room and was perspiring by the time [he] left.”
The same investigator noted that every room he checked on the upper level of the building was warm and had poor ventilation.
Furthermore, according to the report, the family mentioned they had asked for air conditioning fixes several times before the event, along with highlighting poor living conditions in the apartment.
A portion of a complaint from mid-June, reported “cockroaches, bed bugs and the air conditioning is not functioning, with the temperature exceeding 85 degrees, suggesting the room is damp.” It also mentioned that the family had a two-year-old child living in the apartment, who was unable to sleep at night because of the heat.
In a statement released toThe Independent,A representative from the Denver Department of Housing Stability mentioned that the shelter’s heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system was upgraded three months prior, with additional measures to improve airflow and install anti-tampering window locks beginning in June.
“A devastating incident has occurred within this family, and we extend our most sincere condolences to them. The city has already implemented measures to prevent such an occurrence from happening again,” the statement mentioned.
The representative stated that the Department’s review indicated the family initially reported air conditioning problems in June, which were fixed, but the unit started experiencing issues again soon after. While waiting for replacement components, the representative mentioned that the Salvation Army proposed relocating the family to a different room, but “that proposal was politely turned down.”
“In reaction to the disaster, the city has enhanced monitoring and assistance at the facility,” a representative from the Department of Housing Stability stated in their announcement.
The city examined The Salvation Army’s procedures and verified that weekly pest management and routine room inspections are being implemented to handle safety and upkeep issues. Moving ahead, a city facilities employee will join TSA during room inspections to guarantee timely action.
We remain committed to assessing and enhancing our protocols to ensure the well-being and security of all residents and employees within our shelters.
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