Mpls. cops: 2 kids fell accidentally from building; no charges seen
Updated 6:36 p.m. | Posted 1:37 p.m.
The fall of two young brothers who dropped more than 50 feet off an apartment building Thursday is being viewed as an accident and no charges are likely, Minneapolis police said Friday.
One of the children has died, the other is at a Minneapolis hospital but expected to survive, Minneapolis police spokesperson John Elder told reporters Friday.
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The Hennepin County Medical Examiner has identified the child who died as 2-year-old Abdiquni Abdi.
Police continue to investigate, but Elder said the two boys, ages 1 1/2 and 3, were being cared for by a "capable adult" at the time and that drugs and alcohol were not a factor in what happened.
As is standard protocol, county child protection services will also be brought in to investigate, but "everything at this point is indicating that this is accidental," Elder added.
He would not say which child had died. The Hennepin County Medical Examiner is expected to release the information later.
The building in the 2800 block of Pleasant Avenue, known as Karmel Village, has four stories above ground, with a roof over the fourth level and balconies for some of the apartments. Hennepin County property tax records say it is a 77-unit apartment building.
Elder said Friday that the boys, who lived in the building, appear to have crossed a barrier before falling about 55 feet. He praised the response of passersby to aid the children after the fall.