March 19, 2008

Girl's fall from condo flat: Misadventure


A THREE-YEAR-OLD girl died after she fell seven floors from a Pasir Ris condominium last November (07). The girl was at home with her father, Mr Kevin Brendan O'Shea, 38, a lawyer, on Nov 17 when the tragedy happened.

A coroner's court heard that the girl fell from the seventh floor of her Elias Green condiminium to the balcony of the first level unit. Two broken flower pots were about 1.6m away.

A policeman who checked the seventh floor flat found the balcony sliding door ajar.

The girl was pronounced dead about an hour later at Changi General Hospital.

Mr O'Shea had told police that he was in the study at the time while his daughter was drinking milk in his room. Shortly later, his wife went out.

He later found her missing and went downstairs to look for her. On seeing her lying on the ground floor, he immediately performed cardio pulmonary resuscitation until the ambulance came.

According to the father, his daughter used to look down from the balcony and would shout at her mother jogging downstairs. She was warned not to do it.

State Coroner Victor Yeo recorded a verdict of misadventure on her death. The parents did not attend the inquiry.