City Knew About Damaged Fence Surrounding Bushwick Playground Subway Grate Where Boy Fell In

The city first received reports of a vandalized fence next to an open subway grate at Rudd Playground in Bushwick almost four weeks before an 11-year-old boy fell into the opening and plummeted 10 feet down onto a subway station landing Wednesday, a Parks Department official said.

Around 5 p.m. Wednesday, police responded to a call for help at the playground at the corner of Aberdeen Street and Bushwick Avenue, where a boy had entered a fenced-off area surrounding the subway grates inside the park, the NYPD said. The boy dropped 10 feet down an opening where a grate had been removed, falling onto a landing of the Bushwick Avenue-Aberdeen Street L train station there, though a NYTransit official said he never came in contact with the train tracks. Another child informed a nearby adult who called 911, police said.

“He didn't realize that there was an open hole so when he ran he just fell," witness Shania Crayton told ABC-7.

Other witnesses said the boy's pregnant mother “tried to jump down, but instead, half a dozen men playing basketball nearby along with the boy's father sprung into action. They worked together and even used a dog leash to pull him to safety,” ABC-7 reported.

The boy was taken to Kings County Hospital in stable condition, authorities said.

Both Parks and the MTA said they were not fully responsible for the fence and condition of the grates, which run through the park’s basketball court.

“The perimeter of the grates is the city's responsibility and we're not sure how they access that area,” said Demetrius Crichlow, NYC Transit Executive Vice President of Subways, at a press conference Thursday.

According to Parks Department spokesperson Crystal Howard, the subway grates are usually fenced off on all sides including the top, and a new fence was installed during the playground’s recent renovation last year. A portion of the fence was vandalized with “fasteners cut at the post and the fence peeled back,” Howard said.

The city received notification of the damaged fence around April 24th or 25th, she said, and in turn notified the local community board, which “to our knowledge contacted MTA.”

Community Board 4 district manager Celestina Leon said she received an email April 26th from the Parks Department manager for Rudd Playground saying the fence was damaged and asking for the name of the MTA contact who works with the board. She sent the requested information back to the Parks Department manager that same day, copying everyone on the email together, Leon said.

"It is no secret that interagency communication is not perfect and we're happy to assist as necessary, but we did certainly make sure that they had a contact" for the MTA, Leon said.

The MTA said they have no record of being notified of the condition of the subway grates prior to the boy's fall.

Councilwoman Darma Diaz, who represents the district, said the lack of oversight was emblematic of how the community is neglected. “Not enough attention is being paid to that area,” she said.

The Parks Department fixed the damaged fence Wednesday night, Howard said, adding "The health and safety of this child is on (our) hearts and minds."

The MTA conducted load testing on the grates Thursday and welded the other grates in the area, Crichlow said. The MTA investigation is ongoing.

“I need to restate again that safety is without a question, without a doubt, our number one priority,” he said, and added, “We're thinking about the child now and concerned about (his) well being, first and foremost.”