(MENAFN - Khaleej Times) A five-year-old autistic boy plunged to death from the balcony of his parents' second-floor apartment, before the parents noticed that he was missing.
The death has sparked a warning for parents to safe-guard buildings and be alert of their children's movements.
According to the Abu Dhabi Police, the boy of Arab nationality walked from his room to the balcony on Saturday evening and climbed the concrete and aluminum parapet, lost balance and fell.
The apartment building where the grieved family lives is located on Muroor Road, in the Capital's Muroor area.
"The child has been identified as five-year-old HA. Initial investigations suggest that the parents who were in the apartment at the time of the accident were unaware when their child walked from the room to the balcony and climbed the concrete column. As he was leaning, he lost his balance and fell to the ground and died instantly," said Brigadier Maktoum Al Shuraifi, Director of the Capital police directorate.
The official added that initial on-the-spot investigation revealed that the child was autistic.
"We are deeply saddened by this special child's death and offer our condolences and express sympathy with the grieved parents and pray to God to give them the strength to bear this loss," said Al Shuraifi.
The police chief further added that the Central Operations Room at the Abu Dhabi Police received information about the accident a little after it happened and immediately an ambulance with paramedics and an investigation team reached the scene. The investigation team carried out on-the-spot examination of the accident and recorded the statements of the parents and others in the building.
"Investigations are still underway to discover the circumstances that have lead to the death of the child," he added.
Meanwhile, Lt-Col Rashid Khalaf Al Dhaheri, Director of Shabia Police Station, under whose jurisdiction the Muroor area comes, advised residents to keep an eye on their children and never to leave them alone at home.
"Parents should always pay attention to their children both at home and outside. Always seal the windows and corridors to balconies to keep the children away from them, and keep an eye on their movement inside homes," he added.
