Teen Dies From Fall Down High-Rise Garbage Chute

By Samantha Abernethy in News on Feb 21, 2012 8:40PM

A 17-year-old boy died after falling 46 stories down the garbage chute of a Gold Coast high-rise Monday night. Charlie Manley, who had autism and Down syndrome, was a well known person in the building at 1500 N. Astor, and a woman in the building told the Tribune, "We're all shocked."

ABC7 writes:

Police said Tuesday that a bell and an alarm system above the family's apartment door started ringing when Manley got out of the apartment. His parents woke up and saw the boy was gone. They called 911 and, eventually, they and emergency responders discovered Manley in the trash compactor on the ground level.

It's still unclear how Charlie got out. The trash chutes in the building are about four feet from the ground, and are 1 1/2-foot square.

Charlie had two siblings. He also trained with a gymnastics coach, and his father is involved with Special Olympics Illinois.