Woman Dies In Fall From High Rise In Chicago

Posted on Apr 20, 2009
The Chicago Tribune and The Associated Press report that a woman who died from a fall from a high rise building in Chicago, Illinois was probably the victim of a tragic accident.

Brittney Stafford, a 29-year-old who lived in Chicago, fell several stories from an apartment building at 5 a.m. on Saturday morning, April 18, 2009. She was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident by emergency responders.

She was visiting a friend who lived in a Loop apartment building at the time of the accident according to her brother, Eric Stafford. The building is located on the 100 block of West Lake Street at the Century Tower Private Residences, and Stafford fell onto the east sidewalk on the 200 block of North Wells. Stafford lived in the Lakeview area.

"She was at a friend's, that all we know right now," said Eric Stafford. "They told us it was an accident and we're working off that." Stafford added that there were several other people in the apartment at the time of the accident and that they were collecting more information from friends.

The Cook County medical examiner has ruled the fall an accident on Sunday, April 19, after conducting an autopsy that revealed that the woman died from multiple injuries. However, the Chicago Police are conducting a death investigation into the fall lead by Belmont area detectives, so spokeswoman Antoinette Ursitti told reporters.

"The circumstances are still under investigation," Ursitti said, adding that she could not release further details.

Brittney Stafford was from Indianapolis, Indiana, and attended Indiana University.  
James R. Keller
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