Toddler falling from balcony...

Just awful.

Every single year there is at least one horrible child death from falling off a balcony on holiday. Why isn't more done to make them safe? Sardinia is party of Italy and the EU, isn't there laws regulating such things.

Possibly because it was only an 8 ft drop (I've also seen it reported as 6 ft), a fall wasn't considered likely to result in fatal injuries.

Tragic.

But even 6 ft can be fatal or cause serious injury for an adult...

I dunno, I guess I'm just old because it feels like every year I read about children coming off balconies, children dying under sand tunnels, and other completely preventable accidents. What a terrible waste.

Your heart really does go out to those parents doesn't it? They will never get over such a tragedy, it's really brought a lump to my throat.

Surely there's some regulation over height of guardrails or something on hotel balconies?

I figured it's probably the spacing between or under the rails rather than the height that's probably the problem. I am shocked that any hotel would have a balcony that was unsafe for small children though.

Poor, poor Family. Balconies freak me out everytime we have one on holiday.

Even at a popular, highly rated and super child friendly hotel in th UK recently, my 2 boys aged 2 & 4 could have easily climbed over and fallen from the balcony. I had to ask, but thankfully the hotel were quick to provide me with the keys for the balcony door so I could ensure they never went out there. (there was a lock you could flick from the inside, but I wanted to lock with the key as I'm sure the 4 year old could reach it)

If it's a widely known about problem, then isn't the short term answer to make parents more aware, as clearly all of these hotels aren't suddenly going to improve?
It could be something travel companies could be lobbied to include info on in brochures

L
xx

Just popped out for a sandwich and saw a picture of the balcony on the front of one of the newspapers. Looks like the bottom half of the ballustrade is a concrete ledge and then the railingson top are only about a foot and half high. Such a terrible design. I feel sorry for the family having to immediately issue a statement saying they had not left their children alone to placate the press.