An early-morning incident at a Bronx apartment building left a 23-year-old mother dead and her 8-month-old daughter critically injured Tuesday after police said the pair was pushed from a 15th-floor balcony.
The incident happened at 2550 Olinville Ave. in the Allerton section of the Bronx shortly before 3:40 a.m. Officers responding to a call found the woman and baby outside the residential building with injuries consistent with a fall from a significant height.
The woman was identified as Nathaly Ramirez. She was pronounced dead after being taken to Jacobi Medical Center, while her infant daughter remained in critical condition, according to police.
Police Investigate What Happened Inside the Building
Investigators spent much of Tuesday examining the 15th-floor balcony and searching the surrounding area for surveillance footage and witnesses.
Police initially responded after receiving a report of two people who needed assistance. As investigators worked to establish what happened, authorities determined that the mother and child had been pushed from the balcony.
A witness told investigators that she heard a woman yelling shortly before seeing something fall from the building. Other residents also reported hearing shouting and a disturbance around the time of the incident.
Police are seeking to speak with a man known to Ramirez as part of the investigation. Authorities have not publicly established his relationship with Ramirez or announced an arrest.
ABC7 reported that investigators were reviewing surveillance video and looking for additional witnesses as they worked to piece together the events leading up to the fall.
Neighbors Remember Ramirez
The tragedy left residents of the building and surrounding neighborhood shaken.
Neighbors described Ramirez as quiet, kind and friendly, while those who had seen her with her daughter remembered the baby as cheerful and happy.
A makeshift memorial appeared outside the building Tuesday, with flowers and candles placed near a photograph of Ramirez as residents gathered to mourn her death and hope for the baby’s recovery. NY1 reported that baby clothing and other items were also visible near the scene as investigators continued their work.
For residents who have lived in the building for years, the incident was particularly difficult to process.
One longtime resident, Yvette Richards, spoke about the pain of losing a child and said seeing another family experience such a tragedy inside her own building was devastating.
Other neighbors expressed anger and disbelief over the circumstances surrounding the mother’s death and the injuries suffered by her infant daughter.
Domestic Violence Concerns Raised at Vigil
The incident also brought attention to concerns about domestic violence.
Stephanie McGraw, founder and CEO of We All Really Matter, a domestic violence awareness and support organization, joined residents outside the building for a vigil Tuesday.
McGraw said the gathering was meant to stand with Ramirez’s family and the infant, who remained in critical condition.
The vigil came as investigators continued trying to determine exactly what happened before the mother and child went over the balcony.
Police have not released a detailed account of a possible motive, and the investigation remains active.
Investigation Remains Ongoing
Detectives continued canvassing the area Tuesday and reviewing available evidence, including possible surveillance footage and witness accounts.
The case remains under investigation, and authorities have not publicly released additional details about the circumstances inside the apartment before the fall.
For now, Ramirez’s family is grieving her death while her infant daughter remains hospitalized in critical condition.
Neighbors have continued leaving flowers and candles outside the Bronx building, where investigators spent much of the day trying to determine how a mother and her baby came to be on the ground below a 15th-floor balcony.
