6-Week-Old Baby Girl Falls to Death When Stroller Plunges Down Elevator Shaft in New York

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A 6-week-old girl died after falling down an elevator shaft in the Coney Island neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, on Thursday morning, police said.

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Areej Ali’s 21-year-old mother was waiting for the elevator on the building’s 23rd floor around 10:30 a.m., police said. When the elevator doors opened, she pushed the stroller forward; she didn’t realize the elevator car wasn’t there, according to KTLA sister station WPIX

The stroller, with the baby girl still inside, fell to the building’s 17th floor, police said. She was rushed to Coney Island Hospital where she was pronounced dead.

Multiple complaints against the building where the Thursday’s incident occurred had been filed with the Buildings Department, according to records obtained with by WPIX. Elevators in the building were not working twice last month.

Elevator repair people are not currently required to have any sort of licensing in New York, the station reported. A bill to require licensing of people involved in elevator construction and maintenance is in discussion in the New York State Senate.

“This horrible and unfortunate death of an innocent child is yet another example of the need for greater accountability throughout New York’s elevator industry,” said Mike Halpin, an organizer for the International Union of Elevator Construction Local.

“Today’s tragedy should serve as a wake-up call for Albany to finally act and bring increased safety to the millions of New Yorkers who ride elevators each and every day.”

Inspectors from the Buildings Department remained at the scene to conduct a full investigation, a department spokesman told WPIX. They’ll be testing all of the elevators.

14 Comments

  1. Giovanna M Leone

    October 14, 2016 at 9:34 pm

    Prayers for this family. What a tragedy.

  2. Tianna Richardson

    October 14, 2016 at 10:08 pm

    Justin Richardson

  3. Cynthia Harris-Downing

    October 14, 2016 at 10:31 pm

    So sad prayers for the family.

  4. Tara Allen

    October 14, 2016 at 10:52 pm

    how did yoy not notice the car wasnt there, someone wasnt paying attention

  5. Lida F Sadat

    October 14, 2016 at 11:01 pm

    Heartbreaking How did you not notice it wasn’t there ??

  6. Elaine Jade Wong

    October 15, 2016 at 2:12 am

    How she not know if the cart wasn’t there. Aren’t there suppose to have lights when elevator door open? You can’t just push something in without paying attention. RIP little one…

  7. Kenea Dhillon

    October 15, 2016 at 2:22 am

    That’s a very tragic loss! How did the elevator doors even open without the car locking into place?

  8. Amanda N Doni Johansen

    October 15, 2016 at 2:26 am

    Sasha Wendy

  9. Dani Pedreira

    October 15, 2016 at 2:58 am

    Fernanda Avila no wonder dylan doesnt like elevators

  10. Tamika Jackson

    October 15, 2016 at 3:47 am

    Sue. When was the last inspection on the elevator? Everyone asking how she didn’t see the car wasn’t there, maybe she was too focused on the infant inside to look to make sure. Doors open and the car is supposed to be there. Period

  11. Karlie Graham Folsom

    October 15, 2016 at 4:40 am

    Why wasn’t the car there? Obviously there should be a lawsuit against the business

  12. Anita doyle

    October 15, 2016 at 12:28 pm

    How very sad ,you always assume the doors wouldn’t open if it wasn’t there,poor mother ,r.i.p baby girl

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