A young woman tragically lost her life after leaping from the rooftop of a Times Square hotel.
The devastating incident occurred in New York City when 20-year-old Dezirae Andersen fell to her death on Tuesday, May 2, following a heated altercation with her boyfriend. Andersen’s boyfriend, 24-year-old Tyler Griffen, allegedly assaulted her and put their eight-month-old daughter at risk during the dispute.
Police sources report that the couple, from Littleton, Colorado, severely damaged their 10th-floor room at the OYO Times Square hotel on West 47th Street amid the violent argument. Inside the room, the situation was chaotic, as Andersen was repeatedly struck by Griffen, resulting in visible injuries. The conflict continued into the hallway, where Griffen is said to have aggressively pulled the baby’s arm, leading to the infant tumbling down a flight of stairs. Fortunately, an alert hotel guest caught the child, who, though unscathed, was taken to the hospital for a precautionary evaluation.
Authorities state that the distraught mother ran to the hotel’s roof and jumped. She tragically collided with second-floor scaffolding, and emergency responders pronounced her dead at the scene. Police encountered Griffen in the hotel lobby, where he was exhibiting erratic behavior. They used a Taser to restrain and arrest him before transporting him to Bellevue Hospital, as they deemed him emotionally disturbed.
Griffen now faces multiple charges in connection with the appalling incident, including assault, reckless endangerment, and acting in a manner injurious to a child. Investigators do not believe he pushed Andersen from the rooftop, and it remains uncertain whether he intended to harm their daughter. Law enforcement officials indicate that the Administration for Children’s Services will likely take custody of the baby girl.
Numerous incidents involving individuals jumping from buildings have occurred in NYC this year. In January, Dale Cheney, a 46-year-old investment banker from New Canaan, died after falling from the rooftop of Bar 54 at the Hyatt Centric Times Square New York, a luxury hotel located near West 45th St. and 7th Ave. Cheney’s death happened just two days after he filed for divorce from his wife, who had secured a restraining order against him following a domestic dispute at their home on January 16.
In another suicide last week, a 27-year-old man tragically jumped from a New York City Housing Authority building in Queens.
Most recently, on May 4, a senior software engineer took his own life by jumping from the 14th floor of Google’s Manhattan headquarters in the NYC neighborhood of Chelsea.
