A 23-year-old mother is being remembered for what authorities believe was a final act of protection after she and her 8-month-old daughter were pushed from a 15th-floor balcony in the Bronx.

The young mother has been identified as Nathaly Ramirez.

Police say officers responded to the Allerville Arms apartment building at 2550 Olinville Avenue in the Allerton section of the Bronx shortly after 3:30 a.m. on Tuesday, October 6. Ramirez and her infant daughter were found outside the building suffering from injuries consistent with a fall from a significant height.

Both were rushed to Jacobi Hospital, where Ramirez was later pronounced dead.

Her baby survived.

Investigators believe Ramirez was holding her daughter tightly as they fell, and authorities say her body may have partially cushioned the impact, helping to save the child’s life. The infant was initially listed in critical condition, but by Wednesday officials said she had improved to stable condition.

The case is now being investigated as a homicide.

According to police sources cited by multiple New York news outlets, investigators believe Ramirez and her daughter were pushed from the 15th-floor balcony rather than falling accidentally. Detectives are looking to speak with Ramirez’s former boyfriend as part of the investigation, although police have not publicly named him as a suspect or charged anyone in connection with the killing.

Police are also examining surveillance video that reportedly shows a man leaving the building around the time officers and emergency personnel were arriving.

Sources have told several outlets that there was a reported history of domestic violence connected to Ramirez’s address, and neighbours say police had previously been called to the apartment.

Perhaps the most disturbing part of this story comes from witnesses who say they heard Ramirez pleading with someone moments before the fall.

One neighbour told News 12 that she heard the young mother screaming and begging someone not to do something while referring to her frightened baby. Moments later, the witness said she saw something fall from the terrace. News 12 – Default

Police later found Ramirez still holding her daughter.

That detail has now become one of the most heartbreaking parts of the investigation because authorities believe Ramirez instinctively wrapped herself around her child, potentially absorbing much of the force when they hit the ground.

Even though Ramirez did not survive, her baby did.

Friends and former colleagues have described Ramirez as a devoted new mother who was extremely proud of her daughter.

She had reportedly studied at Bronx Leadership Academy and Baruch College and previously worked as an intern and consultant. Those who knew her described her as hardworking, warm and deeply committed to being a mother. New York Post

A small memorial has since appeared outside the apartment building as neighbours mourn the young woman.

The tragedy has also brought renewed attention to domestic violence and the warning signs that can sometimes appear before violence escalates.

At this stage, however, it is important to stress that investigators are still working to determine exactly what happened inside that apartment.

Police have not announced an arrest, and Ramirez’s former boyfriend is currently being sought for questioning as a person of interest in the investigation rather than someone who has been convicted or formally identified by authorities as the killer.

What authorities do know is that Ramirez and her baby were pushed from the balcony, that Ramirez died from her injuries, and that her daughter somehow survived a fall of at least 15 stories.

And according to investigators, one reason that baby may still be alive today is because her mother never let go.

As police continue searching for answers, Nathaly Ramirez is being remembered not only as the victim of a horrific crime, but also as a mother whose final instinct appears to have been protecting her child.

Anyone with information about the case is being asked to contact the NYPD Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS.