Connecticut woman jumps to her death off mall escalator

By Richard Weizel

STAMFORD, Conn. (Reuters) – Connecticut police on Tuesday were investigating the death of a 25-year-old woman who jumped 80 feet off a moving escalator to her death at the Stamford Center Town Mall the night before.

The woman, who police said was from New Canaan, Connecticut, was observed by mall employees and shoppers dangling her leg over the escalator’s edge, according to Stamford Police, who are investigating the incident as a possible suicide.

“It’s very tragic,” said Police Captain Richard Conklin. “When we contacted the woman’s family they indicated she was having some psychological problems. But jumping from an escalator to commit suicide isvery rare.”

Conklinsaid mall employees and shopperstold police they saw the woman crawling over the railing of an upper level escalator that extends between levels seven and nine, then after briefly hesitating, jumped to her death into the mall’s atrium.

The woman was pronounced dead at Stamford Hospital about 90 minutes later, Conklin said. The state medical examiner was conducting an autopsy.

Family members could not be reached for comment.

The mall was closed Monday night following the 6 p.m. incident. It reopened on Tuesday.

(Editing by Scott Malone and Doina Chiacu)