New Taipei boy dies after falling from balcony while home alone

New Taipei, April 29 (CNA) A mother has been referred to prosecutors for investigation after her young son fell to his death from the family's balcony on Tuesday while she was picking up her older son from school, local authorities said Wednesday.

Police in New Taipei responded to a call from local residents shortly after 8 p.m. on Tuesday and, on arrival, found the four-year-old boy unresponsive and without vital signs.

The boy, who fell from a building more than ten stories high in New Taipei's Yonghe District, was rushed to a hospital for treatment but could not be revived and was pronounced dead after 9 p.m., police told reporters.

According to police, the boy is believed to have moved a chair onto the balcony and stood on it, apparently in an effort to look for his mother before falling.

Police said the mother had gone out to pick up her older son when the accident occurred, while the father was away on a business trip.

The mother was brought in for questioning Tuesday night, after which she was referred to prosecutors for investigation on charges of negligent homicide and violations of the Child and Juvenile Welfare and Rights Protection Act, according to police.

Under the Child and Juvenile Welfare and Rights Protection Act, leaving children under six or those requiring special care unattended, or in the care of unsuitable persons, is a violation punishable by fines of up to NT$15,000 (US$474.78). Parents may also be required to attend between four and 50 hours of parenting education.