A 21-day-old baby has died after falling from a fourth-floor apartment window in the village of Vasilyevo, in the Zelenodolsk District of Tatarstan, Russian authorities said.
Officials say the infant was allegedly thrown from the window by her five-year-old sister while the children when their mother reportedly went to visit a friend when the tragedy occurred.
The fall was about 40 feet.
“A criminal case has been opened over the death of the infant,” the Russian Investigative Committee said.
Investigators are examining why the children were unsupervised and whether the older child’s actions were motivated by jealousy.
Local accounts said passersby heard a child screaming at the window and then saw the baby on the ground. One witness said, “Our knees went weak when we saw the child.”
Another local report quoted unnamed neighbours: “The older girl was upset that there was another child in the flat, and out of jealousy, she threw the infant out of the window.”
Mikhail Afanasyev, head of the Zelenodolsk District, said: “Law enforcement officers are now investigating the situation. I express my condolences to the family of the deceased and urge all parents to be vigilant and never leave your children alone.”
Emergency medical teams arrived quickly but confirmed the infant’s death at the scene. Forensic specialists conducted an initial examination of the site. “The actions of the parents who left the children unattended, as well as other possible scenarios, are being investigated,” a local report said.
Authorities have said the mother may face criminal charges for leaving the children without supervision.
The five-year-old cannot be criminally prosecuted because she is below the age of criminal responsibility. Child protection services are expected to be involved in ongoing care decisions for the surviving child.
The investigation remains open.
