A 23-year-old Bronx mother died and her 8-month-old daughter remained in critical condition after the two were pushed from a 15th-floor balcony at an apartment building in Allerton early Tuesday morning, according to police.
The woman was identified as Nathaly Ramirez. Officers were called to 2550 Olinville Avenue shortly before 3:40 a.m. after residents reported hearing shouting. When police arrived, they found Ramirez and the baby outside the building with injuries consistent with a fall from a high elevation.
Both were taken to NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi. Ramirez was later pronounced dead at the hospital, while her daughter remained in critical condition.
The moments before the fall have become a central part of the investigation. A neighbor told local investigators that she heard a woman pleading for someone to stop, including words about her baby being scared, before seeing something fall from the building. The account prompted detectives to closely examine what happened inside the apartment and on the 15th-floor balcony.
Police have since determined that Ramirez and her daughter were pushed from the balcony, according to reporting based on information from the NYPD. Detectives are also working to identify and locate a man they want to question as they continue piecing together what happened before the fall.
Investigators have been reviewing surveillance footage and looking for additional witnesses who may have seen or heard something around the time of the incident. A reported history of domestic violence at the residence is also being examined as part of the investigation.
The building remained an active crime scene Tuesday as detectives worked to establish the sequence of events. Neighbors described hearing a disturbance in the early-morning hours, while items belonging to the baby were visible near the area where the victims were found.
No arrests had been announced as of Tuesday evening. Police have continued asking anyone with information about the incident to come forward as the investigation remains ongoing.
