Woman Dies After Fall Inside Gaylord Hotel in National Harbor
Witnesses told police a woman jumped from a mezzanine level of the Gaylord National Hotel in Oxon Hill early New Year’s Day.
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A young woman whom witnesses said plunged from a mezzanine level at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in Oxon Hill around 2:30 a.m. New Year's Day has died of her injuries, Prince George's County police said.
Witnesses told police the woman jumped, acting Major Paul Cruz said in a press release.
The woman had entered a closed off lounge area before falling 18 to 20 feet to the atrium level inside the hotel, said Amie Gorrell, a spokeswoman for the hotel.
"We can confirm that a woman fell from a first floor balcony down to the lower level last night," she said Saturday.
According to police, fire and EMS personnel were dispatched to the 200 block of Waterfront Street where they found a woman in extremely critical condition with injuries normally associated with a high fall.
She was transported to Fort Washington Medical Center where she died of her injuries, police said.
Gorrell said the woman, whom Gorrell estimated to be relatively young, was not a guest at the hotel, part of a multi-building complex featuring shops and restaurants along the Potomac River just south of I-495.
While there had been a New Year's Eve party at the hotel, Gorell said most revelers had cleared out by the time of the accident. She said hotel staff responded immediately to the incident.
"We want to express our sincere condolences to friends and family that were involved," said Gorrell. "Our thoughts and prayers are with her family at this difficult time."
Four fire and EMS units with nine firefighters and paramedics responded, according to a police press release.
The incident was under investigation by the Prince George's County Police Department.
Michael
4:05 pm on Saturday, January 1, 2011
This was very tragic!
Gina
4:07 pm on Sunday, January 2, 2011
Very sad, prayers are with her family. Curious about age of victim, and alcohol blood level.
Michael
4:50 pm on Sunday, January 2, 2011
She wasn't very old. It happened to be right below our window. Yes, our hearts are with her family.
joe
1:33 am on Monday, January 3, 2011
This girl landed 15 feet from where I was standing. This was the worst thing I have ever seen in my entire life. I just hope the family is doing ok after this.
Marie S.
10:05 am on Monday, January 3, 2011
I spoke to someone on the EMS response team, and they said she definitely jumped. Many witnesses saw her running towards the balcony ledge. It happened so quickly that her friends did not have enough time to stop her. The EMS response team was by her side in less than 5 mins and did all they could to save her. She hit her head. This could have happened anywhere too. The balcony where she went over is only about 20 feet high (similar to the 2nd floor of any shopping mall). If someone is desperate enough to do this, nothing's going to stop them. My heart is aching for her family.
zoe
6:27 pm on Monday, January 3, 2011
We saw all the blood and everything. Her friends were being escorted from the building hysterically crying. It was so sad. The EMS Responded so fast and everything was cleaned up and gone so fast . Like it never happened... We were staying just above the jump in the atrium...
Lorac
8:47 am on Tuesday, January 4, 2011
This was very traggic...prior to this happening, my husband and I were actually sitting there shaking our heads and commenting amongst each other about how DRUNK and OUT OF CONTROL people were. When the young lady hit the marble and we focused on what happened I almost passed out...She was about 10 ft away from us..I still have nightmares and cringe when i think about her hitting the floor...God Bless her Family and her soul. We attended the New Years event there and I still question why the event served an open buffet from 8pm to 10pm and alcohol from 8pm to 2AM..Those commercials about people drinking responsibly, friends don't let friends drive drunk, drunk driving infomercials etc., all made sense to me now...I was actually understanding WHY and HOW these things can happen...then to see barrels of those Monster Energy drinks at the at the exits of every door for people to take (free) was shocking to me. Pardon my ignorance but don't they increase your metabilism. I think an energy booster was the last thing people needed. This was my first New Year out (EVER); celebrating with the new Hubby. By the way neither of us are drinkers; We actually thought we were going to be in an Adult atmosphere with our peers for an elegant night of good socialization and fun...we're over 40 :) LAAAWWWDD knows we picked the wrong venue.
Carolyn
10:44 am on Tuesday, January 4, 2011
I think this blog should be used as a support system for the people who want to talk about their experiences to help heal and as a way to relay information to better understand this tragic event. I don't know what the circumstances were for this young woman but I don't think we need to rant about the evils of alcohol or energy drinks. Rather I think we should focus on helping the witnesses cope and praying for her family and friends.
rafter
1:39 pm on Friday, January 7, 2011
So for the people who actually saw the event unfold, was there a railing from where she fell off? I am just trying to understand how someone can easily "run and jump over a railing" plus... why would someone try to commit suicide for 20 feets above. Wonder if something or someone triggered the incident.
RN
10:11 pm on Friday, January 7, 2011
For those who knew her, any possibility of suicide is incredibly hard to fathom & accept for many reasons, particularly those who saw the last photos of her smiling, being sent to her facebook wall by cell phone, whilst still at the New Year's Eve Party within the Convention centre, wearing a Happy New Year hat/band, asking everyone to read the mssg on her head, (the fb account which appears to have now been deleted) showed her Happy New Year's messages to all of her friends & family on her wall, from memory (as can now longer see the actual deleted fb page), was saying words to the effect of how much she was looking forward to 2011 and it was going to be a great year, so a smiling happy person looking forward to the coming year doesn't exactly sound like a suicidal person.
She was known as a bubbly, outgoing, happy person loved by all, she loved her cat and pampered it so much, why would she want to leave it behind. Also on fb she was asking to be called at 12 o clock.Not an expert on suicide but surely a suicidal person wants to make it quick,painless with chances of complete success , you always hear of people jumping from roof tops, very high up, not from a 1st floor balcony, a very mere 15 foot high.
Hopefully any last conversations she might have had, with her husband and others she was with will shed light on what happened in between her facebook uploads &fall.
Dylan
11:36 pm on Sunday, January 9, 2011
This was one of the saddest things ive ever see. As I was looking the other way she landed 2 feet from me(almost on me) .I froze and went into shock as I stood next to her and my girldfriend had to pull me away. Within seconds hotel employees were there and the amount of blood around her was unreal. I really dont see how this could have been suicide, I was hoping or thinking it was she accidently fell while sitting on the railing or something. Its something I will never forget, my prayers are with her friends and family!