Father was taking a cigarette break when his son, 3, fell to his death from an apartment, family says
A family is devastated and mourning the loss of a 3-year-old boy who reportedly fell to his death from an apartment window after his father stepped out to take a cigarette break.
Per KSDK, the fatal April 10 incident occurred at the Parkview Apartments in St. Louis. The deceased minor was identified as Travis Jr., and he was also known as “T3.”
“Right now, I don’t know if it was a window in the apartment or a window in the hall that, T3 had went through,” Travis Jr.’s relative, Terance Hardy, said.
The incident is now being investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department’s Child Abuse Unit.
“Just a vibrant little thing. I just want people to remember most how intelligent he was for a 3-year-old,” Hardy said. “Just a ball of life,” Hardy added.
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Travis Jr. was under the care of his father at the time of his death. The deceased minor’s mother is at a rehabilitation center and is recovering from injuries sustained from a shooting incident. Her legs have been amputated as a result.
“The father had stepped out, as most fathers do, to take a cigarette break,” Hardy said, adding that the deceased minor’s father put him to bed before taking the cigarette break.
After Travis Jr.’s father took the cigarette break and returned, his son was nowhere to be found. The apartment door was also open.
“He went down the hall searching, knocking on people’s doors,” Hardy said. “He couldn’t find him, and that’s when they originally thought he was missing.”
A missing child report was made, and officers who ultimately responded to the scene found Travis Jr.’s body outside the apartment, KSDK reported. Authorities suspect the boy fell from upstairs.
The St. Louis Housing Authority said that they are reviewing the property and surveillance footage from the time that the incident occurred.
Meanwhile, a GoFundMe has been set up to help raise funds for Travis Jr.’s costs.
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