INDEPENDENCE, Mo. — On Monday, KSHB 41's Megan Abundis spent the evening at Independence Towers speaking with residents after a 3-year-old fell eight stories and later died.
One man said he spent time with the 3-year-old victim's family.
Dakota Ferrell lived there four months and said the victim’s family would always make him a plate of food when he got home late from work and watch his dog.
Ferrell also said the family is one who goes above and beyond to help their neighbors.
Tenants of the apartment said building staff does the exact opposite and that’s why tenants have to stick together and speak up about the history of issues.
When it’s hot, Stephen Brandon, a current tenant, says everyone is trying to cool down because the building's air conditioning still doesn’t work.
"Our management doesn’t see that it’s a concern to them I feel like," Brandon said.
Brandon lives here with his family.
"I’m on the seventh floor and I have two kids," he said.
He said they've had to live without heat in negative temperatures and no air conditioning in the heat.
Brandon weighed in on the boy falling.
"It is something bound to happen when you have families in an unsecured facility with it being so tall; there are so many families who live here," he said.
In three years, there have been more than 500 calls for police and 200 medical calls.
"In all honesty, it’s not a shock," Ferrell said. "The death is a shock, yes, but it was bound to happen."
Ferrell said he put in six maintenance requests in the four months that he lived there, and that none of them were fixed.
“I was tired of all of the maintenance problems. They promised all this stuff, and they never did," he said. "They just kept requesting that window screens kept being put on window units, and nothing ever got done about it."
Brandon said things have gotten worse since an attempted arson at one of the unit's in June.
"Ever since we had the fire incident, it’s been going downhill — worse and worse," Brandon said.
Brandon said it's been so bad that he joined a tenant union.
As a hall leader, he’s taking it upon himself to ask all neighbors what unit work they need done.
“At the end of the day, it’s for my family, but for my neighbors too," Brandon said.
Some tenants say rent varies from $775-$875 not including utilities.
Tenants say the apartment complex staff provided residents with window air conditioning units.
A request for comment from staff at Independence Towers was not returned to KSHB 41 News.
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KSHB 41 reporter Megan Abundis covers Kansas City, including neighborhoods in the southern parts of the city. Have a story idea to share with Megan? Send her a tip.