Four-Year-Old Falls from Fifth Floor in Łomża as Neighbors Catch Her in a Blanket

A four-year-old girl survived a fall from a fifth-floor balcony in Łomża on Sunday afternoon after quick-thinking neighbors broke her descent with a stretched blanket.

Dramatic Fall on Sybiraków Street

A four-year-old girl fell from the balcony of a fifth-floor apartment on Sybiraków Street in Łomża. Before hitting the concrete, she was saved by local residents who stretched a blanket under the building, an action captured by surveillance cameras. The child was taken to the hospital, and police began investigating the circumstances of the incident and her mother’s responsibility.

The dramatic event occurred on Sunday, August 9, after 2:00 PM. The four-year-old child ended up on the exterior side of the fifth-floor balcony, prompting neighborhood residents to immediately initiate a rescue operation.

Neighbors Mobilize for Urgent Rescue

Some witnesses rushed toward the staircase to access the apartment and help the child from inside the building, while others focused on securing the area directly beneath the balcony. Their reaction proved decisive.

Surveillance footage obtained by Polsat News shows men running into the area beneath the balconies, hastily spreading out a large blanket and positioning themselves directly under the spot where the girl was located just moments before falling.

Passing the Test of Seconds

The men held the stretched material at the moment of the four-year-old’s fall, preventing her from striking the hard ground directly with full force. The footage reveals how little time the residents had to assess the situation and take action.

Several men participated in the operation without professional rescue equipment, using whatever was immediately available. The improvised blanket served as a makeshift barrier that cushioned the child’s fall.

Hospitalization and Recovery

Following the fall, the girl was handed over to paramedics and transported to the hospital for examinations to determine whether she suffered internal injuries or trauma from the high-altitude fall.

Her condition was initially assessed as very good, a remarkably fortunate outcome for a direct fall onto concrete. Media later reported that the girl was able to leave the hospital after completing necessary diagnostics, and her father—who was reportedly outside Poland at the time of the accident—took over her care upon returning to the country.

Police Investigate Mother’s Behavior

A key focus of the proceedings is establishing how the four-year-old ended up in such a dangerous position and whether she was properly supervised at the time of the incident.

According to police information released to the media, the 27-year-old mother was inside the apartment, and a breathalyzer test showed she had approximately 0.7 permilles of alcohol in her system. Officers have begun gathering material regarding the circumstances of the event.

Investigators must determine how long the girl remained without direct supervision, how she accessed the balcony, and whether the responsible party’s actions fulfilled the criteria of a criminal offense, such as exposing a person under care to direct danger of loss of life or severe health damage.

Family Situation Under Scrutiny

Following the incident, additional information regarding the four-year-old’s family situation emerged, with Polsat News reporting that police obtained new details regarding the parents, meaning the case did not end with the child’s discharge from the hospital.

In cases involving minors, consequences may extend beyond criminal charges, as family courts may analyze the situation and intervene in parental authority if the child’s safety requires it.

Heroes of Łomża React in Seconds

The incident gained widespread attention primarily due to the actions of accidental witnesses who did not limit themselves to calling emergency services and acted before rescuers arrived.

Footage shows the men moving swiftly, bringing the material, and positioning themselves under the balcony without knowing the exact moment of the fall. This improvised rescue operation ended successfully, and the video has become a crucial piece of evidence documenting both the preparation and the fall.

Surveillance Footage Reaches Media

The surveillance video was published by media covering the story, appearing on social media platforms, YouTube information channels, and regional outlets.

The primary footage from the Łomża housing estate remains the most important material, illustrating the men spreading the blanket and the exact moment of the child’s fall.