Palisades Mall the scene of a fatal fall Thursday morning

FROM CLARKSTOWN PD

On Thursday, October 30, 2014 at 10:21 a.m. the Clarkstown Police Department responded to the Palisades Mall in the area of Best Buy for a male who had fallen from the third floor.

The male, 54, was pronounced deceased from the injuries suffered from the fall. The male was a resident of the New York Foundling group home, based out of 590 Avenue of The Americas, NY, NY. The name of the male is being with held at this time pending notification of the next of kin.

The Clarkstown Detective Bureau has determined that the incident was a tragic accident. The group of one staff and three individuals were on a habilitation day trip, getting the group out into the community. As information becomes available it will be released accordingly.

The detective assigned to the case was able to obtain video of the incident. It appeared that the victim was attempting to get on the third floor escalator going to the fourth floor, had his back to the railing of the escalator, and then appears to have lost his balance. The upward motion of the escalator hand rail assisted in pushing his body over the railing, falling to his death.

A group home staff member was next to the victim as this was happening and attempted to grab hold of the victim but was unable to grab him. At this time, all of the next of kin have not been notified, so the name of the victim will not be released at this time. A press release will be issued with any updates as they become available.             

The following is a statement released from The New York Foundling:

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of a beloved member of our community and extend our condolences to his family and loved ones.  The safety of the individuals in our care is paramount, and we are doing everything we can to help determine what led to this terrible accident. Grief counselors are being made available to our staff and clients to provide support during this difficult time. We are grateful to those who have reached out to offer their support and sympathy.” – Beth Stellato, The New York Foundling.

The New York Foundling describes its mission as offering “an expansive array of services for underserved children, families, and adults with developmental disabilities.”