A toddler was injured in a fall from a ninth-floor window Wednesday afternoon in Montgomery County, Maryland.
The 3-year-old girl fell just before 1 p.m. from the Château Apartments on Mount Pisgah Road in White Oak.
"We believe that the child was there with some other siblings and a caregiver and, for whatever reason, was able to get out this window and fell," Montgomery County Fire & EMS spokesman Pete Piringer said.
The little girl landed in wet mulch, which padded the impact, possibly saving her life, according to Montgomery County Fire and Rescue.
The girl suffered a minor traumatic injury, Piringer said. She had bruises on her face. She was alert and in the lobby of the building with her guardian when first responders arrived.
"They found the child was in the lobby, conscious, breathing, appeared to be OK but certainly [it] was a traumatic event," he said.
The little girl was taken to a hospital.
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Questions remain, but county officials are hoping the incident serves as a warning to other parents and guardians.
"Well, people do have their windows open, they do have balconies, and just to serve as a warning, if you are responsible for children, lock the windows," Piringer said.
Note: Officials initially said the child had fallen from a balcony.
