Lawmakers seek to introduce new rules to safeguard windows in high-rises
It follows the death of a 2-year-old boy who fell out of a window in a Newark high-rise last year.
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Lawmakers are taking action to ensure that residents of high-rise buildings in New Jersey are safe.
It follows the death of a 2-year-old boy who fell out of a window in a Newark high-rise last year.
Justin El-Abiad fell 20 stories out of a window in November. His mother has an ongoing civil case against Elizabeth Towers, the company that owns the building where it happened.
"The particular window Justin fell out of had no window guard, and it shouldn't have been able to open, but it detached, said the family's attorney, Michael Schlesinger.
Schlesinger tells News 12 that the window was only covered in plexiglass and was glued to the window frame.
The lawsuit also claims there had already been at least one incident where the plexiglass blew off the apartment window and fell to the ground.
"This mother went to them and complained about it. She saw this tragedy, and they didn't do anything to prevent it. How dare you?" said Irvington Mayor Tony Vauss.
State and local lawmakers want more protections in place.
“We’re going to introduce an ordinance…that will call on these larger buildings to have window inspections through a certain period of time and whatever repairs that need to be held are abated,” said Newark Councilman Patrick Council.
A bill that would mandate window guards in homes across the state with children under the age of 13 is also making its way through the state senate.
News 12 returned to Elizabeth Towners on Thursday, and it appears that many of the windows on the higher floors have bars on them.
The Essex County Prosecutor's Office said there have been no criminal charges filed in this case as of now.
A funeral for El-Abiad was also held on Thursday.
