A toddler who fell to his death from a Waikiki hotel room New Year's Day was playing with his siblings on the balcony before he squeezed through its railing, his grandmother said yesterday.

The boy was playing with his 4 1/2-year-old sister and 6-year-old brother when he fell.

The 3-year-old child was identified yesterday by the Honolulu medical examiner's office as Samuel Shpigler. An autopsy is scheduled for today.

The family had planned to return to Montebello, N.Y., last night, but postponed their departure until tomorrow, said Jessica Lani Rich, president and executive director of the Visitor Aloha Society of Hawai'i. The group is helping the family and released details about the child.

"Their plans have changed because they don't want to leave without the child's body," Rich said.

Police on Sunday said the child "was left unattended on the balcony" of his family's eighth-floor room in the Ali'i Tower at the Hilton Hawaiian Village.

Police would not comment yesterday on the investigation, although they stated there were no signs of foul play.

A hotel official declined to discuss the incident and whether the railing on the balcony is narrow enough to keep a child from slipping through.

"The matter is still being investigated and we are not in a position to make a statement at this time," said Dara Young, hotel spokeswoman. "Our executive office is very much involved and in touch with the police."

In a written statement released to the media by the Visitor Aloha Society, the child's maternal grandmother, Janet Vergare, of Loudonville, N.Y., described Samuel "as a bright, happy and extremely smart child with a wonderful sense of humor."

Vergare called this the worst tragedy the family had ever experienced.

Rich said the family is struggling to cope.

"They are in mourning right now," Rich said. "They are making arrangements and dealing with the whole situation. They are still in shock about what happened."

The statement said the family is asking for privacy and that it thanks the police and fire departments, emergency and hospital workers, the Hilton Hawaiian Village and others for their help.

Reach Mike Gordon at mgordon@honoluluadvertiser.com.