Toddler Seriously Injured in Fall From Window

A 2-year-old girl sustained serious, life-threatening injuries when she fell from a window of a home in Rockville Wednesday afternoon, a county fire and rescue service spokesman said.

County fire and rescue units responded to the 1000 block of Grand Oak Way at 3:21 p.m., Capt. Oscar Garcia said.

The girl fell about 10 feet from the window on to a deck and was unconscious when paramedics arrived, Garcia said. She was taken to Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, DC. 

The circumstances involving the fall are unclear at this time, Garcia said. “There was a language barrier” between first responders and people at the home, he said.

County police are investigating the incident, Garcia said. 

The incident occurred on one of the warmest afternoons so far this year.

Residents should use caution when opening windows for ventilation, Garcia said.

“Keep in mind, the screens are only designed to keep bugs from getting in,” he said. “There’s no way they would ever prevent a child from falling out.”

Homeowners should consider safety features that allow windows to open only a few inches, Garcia said. Furniture, which children could use to climb into windows, should not be placed near the windows.

“Nothing supersedes just plain old supervision,” he said.