Hudson Valley Child Killed by Falling Cabinet at School

A child was killed when a large cabinet fell off a wall at her school.

On Tuesday around 2:30 p.m., New York State Police responded to a medical emergency at the Kiryas Joel Union Free School at 7 Isreal Zupnick Drive in the village of Kiryas Joel.

A preliminary investigation revealed that 8-year-old Ruchy Friedrich was in a classroom with two of her teachers when she climbed on to a chair to retrieve an item from a large cabinet that was attached to the rear wall, police say.

The cabinet fell off of the wall causing severe head trauma. She was transported by Hatzolah EMS to Good Samaritan Hospital where she pronounced deceased.

"We are devastated by the tragic accident, which took the life of one of our students," Superintendent Joel Petlin said in a statement according to ABC. "We are cooperating with the investigation, and we are providing grief counseling to students and staff affected by this tragedy. Our heartfelt prayers go out to the family and the community at this difficult time."

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The cause of death was determined to be blunt force trauma to the head, officials say. A further investigation determined the death to be an accident, according to New York State Police.

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