Jul 22, 2007 11:27 PM Henry Stancu and Adrian Ma

Staff Reporters A teenage boy fell 26 storeys to his death Sunday afternoon during a botched burglary at a highrise apartment in the city’s west end. Toronto police were called to a highrise complex on Massey Square, near Victoria Park and Danforth Aves., around 2:30 p.m. after they received calls that someone had fallen from the an apartment unit.

Ruth Malloy, 78, who lives on the second floor of the uilding next to the highrise, said she could see where the body “landed on the grass outside the building, in a bushy spot.”

The boy, believed to be about 16, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police say the teenager broke into an apartment on the 26th floor and ransacked the home of cash and jewellery.

He was startled when the family living in the apartment – a mother with two children aged 11 and 13 – suddenly returned home.

“They actually tried to keep him in the apartment by blocking the door,” Det. Derek Young said.

Instead of fighting through the family, the boy moved toward the balcony, threw his bag of stolen goods over the side, and began climbing down.

“That’s when he slipped and fell to his demise,” Young said.

He was not a resident of the building, police say.

Incidents of people climbing apartment balconies are not an uncommon occurrence, Young said.

In 2002, a west-end man died after falling 14 storeys while trying to break into his own apartment building on Fontenay Ct., near Jane St. and Eglinton Ave. W. He also slipped while trying to scale the building’s balconies.

A year before that, a 27-year-old man fell from a second-storey apartment building in the area of Bloor St. W. and Christie St. when he attempted to climb from one balcony to another during a police investigation at the building. He was taken to hospital with serious head injuries.

This is the second fatal fall from a highrise in this area in as many months. On June 3, an 18-month-old boy fell 28 storeys to his death, apparently after slipping through a ripped window screen in the bedroom of an apartment on Crescent Pl., across from Massey Square.

Submitted on 07/22/2007

Submitted by: Anonymous
Reference: The Toronto Star

Copyright © 2007 DarwinAwards.com

Bruce said:
Neutral: Darwin Award
I voted against an earlier submission of this story but this one is much more detailed. (The previous one didn't mention anything about this kid being a burglar). Given the additional details I'll go DA on this despite the age.

Chip said:
Definitely Keep: For Darwin's Eyes
I agree with Bruce. While the additional details cast more doubt on his age, anyone mature enough to attempt to burglarize a 26th floor apartment is mature enough for an award from the stupidity of attempting to climb down those 26 stories on the outside. Thanks for sending the story.

James said:
Definitely Keep: For Darwin's Eyes
I concur with Bruce and Chip. I do wish, however, that the articles about the other accidents (particularly the tragic one about the 18 month old boy) had been omitted, but I imagine Darwin can edit it if she so chooses....

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