Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Balcony Safety Questioned After Boy Falls to Death
By
Jaya Saxena
Published Jun 13, 2010
Modified Jun 13, 2010
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jaya Saxena
Published Jun 13, 2010
Modified Jun 13, 2010
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Police are continuing to investigate the case surrounding a 4-year-old boy who fell to his death from a balcony in Co-op City on Friday night. Though a DOB spokesman said a balcony inspection showed no structural dangers, it turns out management company RiverBay Corp. was late to tell residents to stop their terrace use. A month ago they were ordered to stop balcony use by June 6th, but only told residents to clear off on June 4th.
The letter read, "Remove all items no later than June 6 . . . For safety purposes, your terrace doors will be sealed from the outside once work starts until it's finished." However, that didn't give residents much time to move their belongings, and the company still hadn't sealed the doors of Malachi Johnson's terrace on the night that he fell to his death. Neighbor Audrey Parks says, "If everything was sealed by last Monday, this wouldn't have happened." Johnson's father is also demanding answers from the DOB, saying his son was smart. "I want to know how he fell off the balcony and if the balcony was safe."
Residents say there is a six-inch gap between the building and the balcony's railing, which a child could easily slip through. However, it came to no surprise to residents that RiverBay Corp. was slow to respond to the balcony use order. One resident told the Daily News, "Nothing around here gets done on time, so I just ignored it."
Tagged
Balcony
child
co-op city
fall
malachai johnson
Jaya Saxena
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Mamdani extends NYC racial equity leader's term after Council pushes back on replacement
Linda Tigani, the current chair of the Commission on Racial Equity, is expected to stay on in the role through July 2027.
By
Elizabeth Kim
Published Oct 28, 2026 at 4:31 p.m. ET
Woman charged with federal hate crimes after allegedly stabbing 2 Jewish men in NYC
Anna Mochalova is accused of using a needle-like object to stab two men near the Diamond District earlier this month.
By
Giulia Heyward
News
Woman charged with federal hate crimes after allegedly stabbing 2 Jewish men in NYC
Anna Mochalova is accused of using a needle-like object to stab two men near the Diamond District earlier this month.
By
Giulia Heyward
Ex-NYPD sergeant sentenced to 4-12 years in deadly drunken Taconic crash
By
Charles Lane
After being booed at integration forum, NYC chancellor praised by school parent leaders
By
Jessica Gould
Lithium-ion battery caused Bronx fire that killed 11-year-old, FDNY says
By
Catalina Gonella
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .