It was just after 11:00 p.m. on Friday, 25th July, when a resident looking at the facade of a building in Benidorm spotted a shocking scene. A child was sitting completely alone on the outdoor unit of an air conditioner on the 21st floor of a skyscraper.
There were no adults or anyone else with the child. Beneath his feet was an open drop where any slight movement could have led to tragedy. The neighbour alerted the concierge of the building, who quickly called the local police.
Police received the call at around 11:05 p.m. regarding a child dangling over the void of a building located on Avenida Bilbao in Benidorm. The first officers on the scene conducted an initial search but were unable to locate him immediately.
Despite the darkness high up on the skyscraper and the dimness of the apartment, officers continued gathering details from residents until a neighbour allowed them access to the balcony of an apartment adjacent to where the warning originated.
From there, Benidorm Local Police confirmed the extreme danger of the situation. The child was sitting outside the building on the air conditioning unit of the 21st floor, exposed to a potentially fatal fall.
Once he was located, there was no time to lose. One of the officers managed to reach out, grabbing the boy by the arm to prevent him from falling, while a second officer held onto his partner to secure the rescue manoeuvre.
During those moments, the boy was held by the police officer at the very edge of the drop. Officers had urgently requested the presence of the fire department, though they managed to complete the rescue safely before firefighter intervention was needed.
The concierge also managed to obtain a copy of the keys to the tourist apartment. This allowed police to enter the flat and bring the child inside to safety, away from the danger of the building’s facade.
There was no responsible adult present in the accommodation. Officers found the child’s documents and other personal items that allowed them to identify the father and begin efforts to locate him.
When the father returned to the building, according to sources close to the investigation, he stated that he had left his son alone while he went shopping. He also revealed that the child has autism spectrum disorder.
Officers arrested him for the alleged crime of temporary abandonment of a minor, and he was subsequently taken to police headquarters for processing.
The quick alert from a neighbour, the assistance of the building manager, and the rapid response from officers prevented the night from ending in tragedy. One officer risked his own safety to hold onto the child until he was brought back inside the apartment. The proceedings have been handed over to the competent authority to clarify how the minor was able to leave the house while alone and end up sitting on an air conditioning unit on the 21st floor.
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