A young woman’s life came to a tragic end when she jumped from the rooftop of a Times Square hotel.
The shocking fall took place in New York City on Tuesday, May 2, when 20-year-old Dezirae Andersen lost her life after a heated dispute with her boyfriend. According to reports, Andersen’s boyfriend, 24-year-old Tyler Griffen, allegedly assaulted her and endangered their eight-month-old daughter during the argument.
Authorities say that the couple from Littleton, Colorado, caused damage to their room at the OYO Times Square hotel on West 47th Street during a violent confrontation. Inside the room, Griffen repeatedly struck Andersen, leaving visible injuries. The conflict continued in the hallway, where Griffen allegedly yanked the baby’s arm, causing the infant to fall down a flight of stairs. Thankfully, a hotel guest caught the child, who was then taken to the hospital for a precautionary evaluation.
Distraught, Andersen ran to the hotel’s roof and leaped off. She tragically hit the second-floor scaffolding, and emergency responders pronounced her dead on the spot. Police found Griffen in the hotel lobby, displaying erratic behavior. They used a Taser to subdue and arrest him before taking him to Bellevue Hospital for psychiatric evaluation.
Griffen now faces several charges related to the horrifying incident, including assault, reckless endangerment, and acting in a manner injurious to a child. Investigators do not think he pushed Andersen from the rooftop, and it remains unclear whether he meant to harm their daughter. Officials say the Administration for Children’s Services is expected to take custody of the baby girl.
Several incidents involving individuals jumping from buildings have taken place in NYC this year. In January, 46-year-old investment banker Dale Cheney died after falling from the rooftop of Bar 54 at the Hyatt Centric Times Square New York, a luxury hotel near West 45th St. and 7th Ave. Cheney’s death occurred just two days after he filed for divorce from his wife, who had obtained a restraining order against him following a domestic argument on January 16.
In another suicide last week, a 27-year-old man jumped from a New York City Housing Authority building in Queens.
Most recently, on May 4, a senior software engineer ended his life by jumping from the 14th floor of Google’s Manhattan headquarters in Chelsea in NYC.