Parents of boy who died after fall from Ottawa apartment speak out

An Ottawa family is sharing their story for the first time after their four-and-a-half year old child died after falling from a window in their apartment.

An Ottawa family is sharing their grief as they try to cope with the unimaginable loss of their child, who fell from the window of a high-rise apartment in Sandy Hill on Monday.

His name was Eliyah Pirani. He was four-and-a-half years old.

“He loves animals, he loves nature, he loves painting… he was such a nice brother,” his mother, Sajedeh Taheri, told CTV News Ottawa.

“He was a very nice little boy. A gifted guy who was given to us by God, by our prayers,” his father, Mohammad Pirani, said.

Eliyah died after falling from the family’s sixth floor apartment. The windows are normally closed, but Monday was a hot day.

“I thought, why is it so quiet suddenly? Why’s there extra light coming in the building? What happened? Where is Eliyah? I called him,” Taheri said.

Then she discovered what happened.

“I saw him there. I shout. I call 911 immediately.”

She says she ran downstairs barefoot with her young daughter to reach him as soon as possible and asked neighbours for help.

The family says the window in Eliyah’s bedroom fully opened, while others in the unit did not.

Rental company Homestead says window restrictors are a requirement in the building and should not be altered. The company also said it had not received any notice from residents in the impacted unit regarding any issues.

Taheri said there was no restrictor on the window in the bedroom.

“We are deeply saddened by this tragic incident, and our hearts go out to the child’s family, loved ones and all those affected,” the company said in a statement.

“The safety of our residents has always been Homestead’s top priority. For this reason, window restrictors are a requirement, and Homestead does not remove or alter these safety devices. All residents are informed in Homestead lease documents not to alter or tamper with window restrictors and to always report any window issues immediately. Prior to this tragic incident, Homestead had not received any notice from residents in the impacted unit regarding any issues with window restrictors.”

The day after the fall, Homestead said it would be inspecting all units to secure the windows.

“They came and they just safeguarded the window, and after they finished their job, another person came me in to just check around the apartment again without any coordination with the parents,” said aunt Parisa Pirani.

The family’s heartbreak is deepened by the thought that some could think they’re to blame.

“We were not irresponsible parents. That’s it. We were caring parents. This is what people, they need to hear,” said Pirani.

Loved ones are rallying around the family after their tragic loss.

“Friends, family, is all a person needs at this moment because heart is broken and loneliness is the most prominent thing that we feel,” Pirani said. “Everybody who can feel that gap is very, very helping.”

Taheri said she hopes no one else ever experiences what she’s going through.

“I wish it for no one. It’s unbearable for sure,” she said.

Ottawa police said they do not consider the matter suspicious. An investigation remains ongoing.