Site of the balcony where the toddler fell. Photo: Jason Borg

The condition of the one-year-old girl who fell two storeys from a balcony in Pembroke on Tuesday remained critical but stable yesterday, as neighbours were still coming to terms with what they had witnessed.

What remained impressed in their minds was the image of baby Aalyah trying to lift herself up on her elbows seconds after she hit the ground.

“I heard screams and looked out of my balcony window. There was the little one lying on her side,” a resident of Pietru D’Armenia Street said.

It is still not clear how Aalyah fell but the incident left the residents of the block in shock.

The neighbour, a mother of three, said she heard shouting from the apartment above her and heard the entire family – mother, father and two children – rush down the common staircase to get outside.

“I looked out and saw her. I called out to some neighbours who were weeding the garden close to where she fell and then in the panic started throwing things outside… a dummy, toys… I don’t know what else, in the hope they could be of some use to the baby,” said the neighbour, who preferred not be named.

The police yesterday denied reports in other media that any items related to drug use were found in the apartment.

Aalyah fell from the balcony at the housing estate at around 5.30pm on Tuesday. Sources said she suffered from internal injuries.

Neighbours who saw the baby lying prostate on the cobblestones said they were surprised there was no blood.

“People went to help her but were afraid to touch her because of the injuries she might have.”

As the neighbours rushed out to witness the emotional scene, with the parents and two children next to the baby, they saw her trying to pull herself up on her elbows as she started crying.

“It was as though she wanted to get up but found difficulty in moving the second half of her body,” the neighbour said.

Police officers started arriving on the scene and attending to the baby and the family.

Within minutes, an ambulance drove into the courtyard and took the baby to hospital.

“After what happened, I’m keeping all the aluminium doors blocked with the louvres – all it takes is a second. Even my one-year-old manages to click the lock open and I’m terrified it will happen again,” said the neighbour.

One neighbour pointed out it was a stroke of luck that no cars were parked in front of the block – in the exact spot where she landed.

“Imagine she fell on the windscreen – poor thing,” she said.