Toddler plunged to his death after being propped up by window to 'watch trucks' by his step-grandmother
The mother of a two-year-old toddler who fell to his death after being allowed to watch trucks by an open window is demanding justice.
Little Chandler, from Sparks, Nevada, US, has been described as being 'the most unselfish child' who always wanted to learn and enjoyed being outdoors.
However, on April 11, 2024, the toddler was found unresponsive after he fell from a five-storey window. Tragically, first responders were unable to provide life saving measures, despite their efforts.
According to authorities, his step-grandmother Darla McDermott was supervising Chandler on the day of his death in her complex.
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Police say that she left him on the arm of the couch so he would watch construction workers outside, as he loved big trucks. But McDermott left the tot unsupervised when she went to use the bathroom and by the time she returned, he was nowhere to be seen.
"I have nightmares all the time. This guy hollered at me, asked if it was my kid. I looked down, and he was laying on the concrete,” McDermott told KOLO TV. "I’ll never forget that day."
His mother, Gabryelle Johnson, has now come out to reveal that justice needs to be served after police did not file charges against McDermott, as it was ruled an accident.
"You don’t ever expect to hear; 'I’m sorry, your son is deceased'," Johnson said.
She said she still finds herself dreaming of what it would be like for her child to grow up: "I wanted us to have all these great memories. Little did I know my son was going to pass."
Chandler’s grandmother - Johnson’s mother, Sheri McDaniel - has also criticized Sparks Police Department and their choice not to press charges against McDermott for her role in his death.
They have also queried whether an extensive investigation was conducted at the time.
"I don’t understand how someone gets away with killing a child," McDaniel said. "She [McDermott] was the adult in the apartment. She’s the one that left him alone with the window wide open. He wouldn’t be dead if she hadn’t done what she did."
"He was so happy … now his bed just sits empty," she said. "I constantly told her to keep doors and windows shut. She played with him in the window for hours before leaving him alone. How stupid do you have to be?!? She needs to do time."
McDaniel further told KOLO TV: "You have to be accountable for the things you’ve done and be accountable for the pain you caused my family because you couldn’t shut your window, and you couldn’t make him safe."
Now, they have enlisted the help of a lawyer to check the case, while police confirmed that there are no pending charges regarding Chandler’s death.
UNILAD has contacted the Sparks Police Department for comment.
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact The Compassionate Friends on (877) 969-0010
Britt Jones