Ottawa boy dies after multi-storey fall from high-rise apartment
A small memorial of stuffed animals and signs sits outside a Donald Street apartment building, where a three-year-old boy died after falling from the 18th floor on Sunday.
The boy fell from a window Sunday afternoon Ottawa paramedics said. A window screen was seen on the ground near where the boy was found Sunday afternoon and one was missing for an apartment several storeys up.
Police confirmed the boy died in hospital in a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
"The matter is being investigated to understand what led to the fall," police said. "Supports are being put in place for the family."
Building management sent a statement to CTV News Ottawa via email confirming the child lived on the 18th floor, and saying that hearts and prayers are with the family.
"This tragedy has affected our community deeply, and our focus right now is on providing support to residents and staff, as well as continuing to do everything we can to support the Ottawa police in their investigation," Lorne Stephenson, a spokesperson for Q Residential, said.
Stephenson added that all units have window restrictors, which are inspected annually.
Boy found without vital signs
The boy had no vital signs when paramedics arrived at 1240 Donald St. at around 1 p.m., a spokesperson said.
Responding paramedics tried to resuscitate the child as he was taken to the children's trauma centre, where his vital signs remained absent.
Ottawa police at 1240 Donald St., where a 3-year-old boy fell from an apartment. Sept. 24, 2023. (Jackie Perez/CTV News Ottawa)
The circiumstances around what happened and how the child fell remain under investigation.
Ottawa Police Chief Eric Stubbs told reporters Monday that police investigators are working with the coroner to gather evidence about this incident. He added that victims' services are available to residents in the building who were affected by what he called a "terrible incident."
Coun. Tim Tierney called the incident an "unimaginable tragedy" and said mental health supports are available.
- The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App
- Sign up now for our nightly CTV News Ottawa newsletter
--With files from CTV News Ottawa's Jackie Perez and Leah Larocque.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Mother of 2 and 4 exchange students identified as victims killed in crash in Huntsville, Ont.
The woman killed in a head-on collision in Huntsville over the weekend that also claimed the lives of four teenagers has been identified.
How Western Canada's sugar shortage is affecting bakeries, chocolatiers
Amid an ongoing strike at Western Canada's largest sugar refinery, bakery owners and chocolatiers are finding it hard to locate the amounts of sugar they need to keep their businesses going as we head into the holiday season.
Danielle Smith invokes sovereignty act on green electricity, concedes it's for symbolic effect
Premier Danielle Smith invoked Alberta’s sovereignty act on Monday to implement new measures in her fight against Ottawa’s looming clean electricity rules while conceding she didn't need the act to put the changes in place.
Sandy Hook families offer to settle Alex Jones' US$1.5 billion legal debt for a minimum of US$85 million
Sandy Hook families who won nearly US$1.5 billion in legal judgments against conspiracy theorist Alex Jones for calling the 2012 Connecticut school shooting a hoax have offered to settle that debt for only pennies on the dollar -- at least US$85 million over 10 years.
Trump says he will renew efforts to replace 'Obamacare' if he wins a second term
Former U.S. President Donald Trump threatened over the weekend to reopen the contentious fight over the Affordable Care Act after failing to repeal it while in the White House, saying he is "seriously looking at alternatives" if he wins a second term.
Six teens in court in connection with beheading of French teacher
Six teenagers go on trial behind closed doors on Monday in connection with the beheading of French history teacher Samuel Paty in 2020, a murder that shocked the country.
No injuries after plane destroyed in airport crash in Wawa, Ont.
The Transportation Safety Board has sent a team of investigators to northern Ontario following a crash on Monday that destroyed an aircraft.
B.C. boy dies by suicide after online sextortion: RCMP
Mounties in northern British Columbia are investigating after a 12-year-old boy died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound following an apparent case of online sextortion. Warning: This story is about a child who died by suicide and may be distrubing to readers.
The Last of Us named the 'largest series ever filmed in Canada'
The monumental effort it took to bring the first season of The Last of Us to the small screen paid off big time for Alberta, a new report says.