Boy, 3, Falls 15 Feet From Homewood Balcony, Babysitter Charged
HOMEWOOD (KDKA) – A woman is facing charges after a child fell off a second floor balcony in Homewood on Monday.
According to the criminal complaint, the incident happened at a home in the 6900 block of Monticello Street around 3 p.m.
When emergency officials arrived at the scene, they learned the 3-year-old child had fallen about 15 feet. The child was taken to Children's Hospital.
Raevin Hodges, 18, was babysitting at the time of the incident. She told police she came outside to watch the students being dismissed from Westinghouse High School and the boy followed.
She reportedly tried to make the child go back inside, but she told police after trying to grab his arm several times, he slipped through her fingers and fell.
A Pittsburgh Public School guard was standing across the street while students were being dismissed. She told police she saw the child with his head between the banister rails, and also saw a female on the porch looking at her cell phone.
The guard said she later saw the child lying on the ground and got on her radio to call paramedics for help.
Hodges denied being on her phone when questioned by police.
Officials at nearby Westinghouse High School said surveillance video from their campus captured the incident. Police are expected to review that video as part of the investigation.
At last report, the child was listed in stable condition in the ICU at Children's Hospital.
Meanwhile, Hodges has been charged with one count of endangering the welfare of a child.
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