Bronx toddler dies after falling through AC gap

Chayanne Polanco and Thessa Wilcox held a prayer vigil for their only child, 2-year-old Julia, after she died from a fall in the Bronx. The toddler slipped through a window opening in their fifth-story apartment on Tuesday night.

Police report that Julia removed plastic accordion panels next to an in-window air conditioning unit shortly before 11 p.m. She squeezed through the resulting gap and fell five stories into a back alley. Paramedics rushed her to Harlem Hospital in critical condition, where she later died.

The parents told reporters they installed the AC unit themselves. A building superintendent said the plastic panels were held in place with tape. Julia apparently pulled the panels away to escape. Wilcox clutched a pink teddy bear during the Friday service and described Julia as a fiery and energetic soul who brightened every room.

"My tears are dry," Polanco said. "Like, I just can't believe my J.C. is gone." Wilcox added that the family requested window guards through the city's 311 hotline but never received a response.

City records from the 311 system and the Department of Housing Preservation and Development show no window guard complaints for the building between 2020 and now. Boyde Singletary, senior pastor at Alpha and Omega Church, said the family tried calling 311 multiple times without success. He criticized management for collecting rent while failing to make necessary repairs.

The Department of Health is investigating the fall. The agency said it instituted new requirements for window air conditioner installation in January. These rules mandate window guards or devices that limit opening width to 4.5 inches. Officials urged building owners to ensure proper installation and maintenance.

The family is currently raising funds for Julia's funeral and burial. They plan to transport her body to South Dakota, where the family has a plot. Julia was Native American.