Baby Falls Eight Stories: NY Mom, Columbia Law Grad, Died Jumping From Building While Holding Child; Baby Survived

A baby falls eight stories from a building while being held by his mom, who jumped from the building of their apartment window, Wednesday. The mom died from what is an apparent suicide by jumping out the eight story window, but police say the baby who fell eight stories survived.

The Associated Press reports that Cynthia Wachenheim was found on the street with her son, 10-month-old Ketson, near her arms. The police officer who responded at the scene took the baby to the hospital, where he was listed in critical but stable condition. He was strapped to his mom's chest when his mom jumped.

NYPD discovered a seven-page suicide note under a bed in the apartment Wachenheim shared with her husband. In the note, it was discovered that the 45-year-old Wachenheim recognized what she was doing, labeling it as “evil”, but she was concerned on how her child was developing, according to law enforcement officials familiar with the case.

It is not known if the baby, who neighbors say is an only child, had any mental or physical problems.

A window to the West Harlem apartment was wide open, and there were no signs that a struggle occurred inside when Wachenheim jumped, according to police. There were no safety bars on the apartment’s window. Surveillance footage showed Wachenheim’s husband leaving the apartment about an hour before her plunge from the window with the baby.

Steven Dominguez, 18, who lives in the area, saw Wachenheim’s fall. He described that the baby bounced off her body, breaking some of the impact from the fall, before hitting the ground nearby.

“I heard a scream like a yell,” Dominguez said, “When I got closer, I saw the baby cyring.” He said the baby was face down.

“I was shocked,” he said. “I couldn’t believe it. “

Dominguez notes that his mother went to pick up the baby but an emergency response person told her to stand back.

Building resident, Yaa Dwawema, 32, says that the baby’s mother was very nice, very friendly and warm. "I wouldn't have thought anything was wrong with her," Dwawema said. "They were a happy-looking family. I wouldn't think anything like this would happen."

Wachenheim is an alumna of Columbia University’s Law School. Her father was a state police spokesman before his death in 2011. She worked in state Supreme Court in Manhattan performing legal research for judges.

Wachenheim’s apartment is in a relatively new building facing Jackie Robinson Park. A crowd of onlookers had gathered nearby Wednesday afternoon, awaiting the medical examiner’s office. The office would determine the official cause of the woman’s death.