Morelli Law Firm Files Wrongful Death Lawsuit Following Fatal 20-Story Fall of Two-Year-Old Child in Newark High-Rise

Morelli Law Firm has filed a civil lawsuit in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Essex County, on behalf of the family of a two-year-old boy who died.

NEWARK, NJ, UNITED STATES, December 30, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Morelli Law Firm has filed a civil lawsuit in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Essex County, on behalf of the family of a two-year-old boy who died after falling from a 20th-floor apartment window at a Newark residential building. The suit alleges that the child’s death was the result of long-standing, known, and unaddressed safety hazards at the property.

According to the complaint, the incident occurred on November 15, 2025, at Elizabeth Towers, located at 455 Elizabeth Avenue in Newark, New Jersey. The lawsuit alleges that the child fell through a dangerously defective window that was constructed of thin plexiglass and improperly affixed to the exterior of the window frame. The child’s mother and young sister were present in the apartment at the time and witnessed the fall.

The suit names 455 Elizabeth Avenue, L.L.C., the owner and operator of the building, as the defendant. It alleges that management had prior notice of unsafe window conditions in the apartment and throughout the building, including a prior incident in which a plexiglass window reportedly blew out and fell to the street below years earlier. Despite this notice, and despite knowing that young children lived in the unit, the complaint alleges that the building failed to properly repair or replace the windows or install legally required window guards.

“This case raises serious questions about landlord accountability and basic safety obligations in high-rise residential buildings, especially where young children are involved,” said Benedict Morelli, founder of Morelli Law Firm.

Following the child’s death, the City of Newark conducted multiple inspections of the building and cited the property for numerous housing code violations. According to the complaint, city inspectors described the building’s conditions as “deplorable” and posing a serious threat to tenant safety, particularly with respect to defective windows. The City subsequently sought injunctive relief, including temporary restraints, against the property.

The lawsuit asserts multiple causes of action, including negligence, wrongful death, survival claims, negligent infliction of emotional distress, and punitive damages. Plaintiffs allege that the child’s death was entirely preventable and resulted from reckless disregard for tenant safety and repeated violations of Newark housing codes.

The plaintiffs are represented by Morelli Law Firm, PLLC. The case seeks compensatory and punitive damages and demands a jury trial. The allegations described above are contained in a civil complaint, docket number: ESX L 009738-25. All defendants are presumed innocent of wrongdoing unless and until proven otherwise in a court of law.

David Strong
Morelli Law Firm
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