Police: Uncle Drops 4-Year-Old From St. Cloud Balcony

ST. CLOUD -- A 4-year-old girl was taken to the hospital after being dropped from a third story balcony Sunday.

The incident happened at about 4:45 p.m. in the 1900 block of Quarry Road in St. Cloud.

Assistant Police Chief Jeff Oxton says a witness told officers they saw a man holding the child by her wrists while standing on the balcony, before dropping her.

The girl was taken to St. Cloud Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Police later identified the man as 33-year-old Baraka Ahmend of St. Cloud, who is the girl's uncle. Witnesses say Ahmend had left the scene before police arrived.

During interviews police learned he was non-verbal and had some type of undiagnosed development issues.

Police say just before 10:00 p.m. Ahmend was found at a business in the 3000 block of 3rd Street North.

He was arrested and taken to the Stearns County Jail. He faces charges of 3rd Degree Assault and Domestic Assault.