A fatal fall from a third story nursing home window is being investigated by Buffalo Police. Captain Jeff Rinaldo says, 87-year-old William Strasner was found lying in the parking lot of the Emerald South Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, on Delaware Avenue, just before 6 a.m., Monday morning.
"Our homicide detectives responded, and based on their investigation it appears, at this time, as if the patient from the facility had tied together clothing, bed sheets, and had attempted to escape out of the window and climb his way down, unfortunately, falling approximately 34 feet to the ground." Rinaldo says, most of the windows in the facility are secure.
"They're approximately able to open approximately 7 inches. There is a security device that's basically bolted on the window. That device did not appear to be functioning on this window. So we are looking at whether or not the nursing home was aware of that and how that device may have been removed," Rinaldo said.
Rinaldo says staff had checked on Strasner about 30 minutes before he was discovered in the parking lot by an employee who was reporting for work.