A Texas man staying with his three children at his brother’s apartment in Brooklyn Center was allegedly on the phone all day and lying in bed when his 3-year-old son fell out of a window and died.
Charges: Father in bed when son, 3, dies after falling out of eighth-story window in Brooklyn Center
The death occurred at an apartment building where a man and his three children were staying with their uncle.
Saleban Abdullahi Duale was charged with second-degree manslaughter in Hennepin County District Court on Friday after police alleged that his negligence directly caused the death of his son, Aa’lim Ali.
According to the charges:
Police were called to a Brooklyn Center apartment building on May 18 and found Ali on the ground. He later died at the scene. An initial investigation concluded the child had fallen out of an eighth-story window.
Duale was identified as Ali’s father and told police he was staying with his three sons at his brother’s apartment. He said he had stepped out of the room when his son fell. Police observed a couch placed directly in front of the open window.
Child Protective Services conducted interviews with Duale’s other two sons, ages 9 and 8. The 9-year-old told them his father had been lying on a bed in the bedroom and was not in the living room when the boy fell. He said the 3-year-old had pushed a window screen open before falling.
The 8-year-old said his father had been on the phone all day and he never saw him in the living room or kitchen when his brother fell.
Duale is not in custody and no attorney was listed for him. A summons was issued for him to appear in court on Sept. 30.
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