A 26-year-old man has been charged after his 3-year-old son died in a tragic fall from a high-rise apartment in St. Louis.
Police say Tarvis Phenix Jr. is facing a charge of endangering the welfare of a child following the death of his son, Tarvis III, in the early hours of April 10.
According to investigators, Phenix left the apartment around 11:50 p.m. while the child was in his care. Roughly 30 minutes later, the boy left the unit and wandered through the building.
Authorities say the child climbed onto a bench near an open window on the 11th floor, then onto the ledge, before falling to the ground below.
Phenix returned to the apartment around 12:53 a.m. and soon after contacted police. Officers found the child dead outside the building.
He was taken into custody Tuesday and is being held without bond.
Family members described the boy as bright and full of energy, remembering him as a joyful and intelligent child.