A toddler is lucky to be alive this week after tumbling out of a window in Newton.
At about 8:30 p.m. Thursday (May 16), a three-year-old girl was playing in a residence in the 14000-block of 77 Avenue.
She was on the living room couch, when she pushed against a screen window, popping it from its frame, which caused her to tumble out.
She fell 12 feet (four meters) to a garden and concrete walkway below.
The girl did not suffer external injuries, but was treated for a concussion at Royal Columbian Hospital and has been released.
“This is an unfortunate accident that we see time and time again once the weather warms up in our region,” said Surrey RCMP Sgt. Drew Grainger. “As a result we are reminding residents to please take the necessary precautions to ensure your family's safety.”
Grainger said screen windows need to be secured from toddler access in order to prevent these accidents.
“Open screen windows provide an illusion of security and having furniture and play apparatus near these windows only compounds the problem and is a recipe for disaster," Grainger said. "We recommend parents secure open windows with a device that will not allow children to fit through and if at all possible, have your child play in an area that is not elevated to minimize those types of risks.”
With the Victoria Day holiday weekend being the unofficial start to summertime, the Surrey RCMP are reminding the public to be extra vigilant when it comes to areas of risk where young people are vulnerable such as waterways, roadways, and other outdoor recreational activities.