An 81-year-old woman tragically died after falling from a high-rise luxury building on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, New York City, on Saturday, October 12, 2024. The incident occurred during the afternoon hours, creating a grim spectacle for nearby wedding attendees.
The woman fell, or jumped, from the 28th floor of the Park Regis Apartments around 3:30 p.m. The impact of her fall resulted in decapitation and the severing of an arm after her body struck an object on the side of the building during the descent, leading to a gruesome scene at the ground level.
The incident unfolded in view of guests at a wedding ceremony at a nearby Carnegie Hill church. Witnesses reported the terror of watching the woman’s body plummet. A building resident who arrived at the scene shortly after the fall told the New York Post, “I pulled up just as she was laying there; she had no head. “Her body landed there but her head and leg hit the fence there, you can see it’s bent, there were clothes and blood stuck there.” Another bystander described the scene, stating, “Everyone started rushing towards the body, but she was gone.”
The NYPD reported that the cause of death will be determined by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Preliminary reports suggest that the fall was a likely suicide.
The Park Regis Apartments, a 33-story residential cooperative established in 1974, operates similarly to a private hotel, offering residents a range of amenities including a gym, an on-site garage, laundry facilities, and bicycle storage. The building is in close proximity to significant cultural sites such as Museum Mile and Central Park.
This tragic incident marks the second time in recent months that a fatal fall from a Manhattan high-rise has occurred. In July, J. Michael Cline, 64, co-founder of Fandango, fell to his death from the 20th floor of The Kimberly Hotel in Midtown Manhattan. Cline, who had been struggling with business issues during the pandemic, reportedly left a note, though the contents were not divulged.
The NYPD has yet to reveal any information regarding potential reasons for the elderly woman’s decision to end her life. The department maintains that the investigation is ongoing and no additional details are currently available.
