Tyler Griffen informed authorities in a taped statement that he remembers "punching" his girlfriend.
Trigger Warning: The following content contains details of intimate partner violence, death by suicide, and self-harm, which may be distressing to some readers.
After apparently getting into a violent argument with her boyfriend, a young mother sadly jumped to her death from the top of a Times Square hotel. Around 10:30 p.m., Dezirae Andersen, a 20-year-old Colorado native, an aspiring actress, and model, was discovered dead after falling from the OYO Times Square hotel's roof on West 47th Street, government and police officials stated on May 2, per the New York Post.
According to police and reports, the woman, who is from Littleton, Colorado, had been staying at the hotel with her boyfriend Tyler Griffen, 24, and their 8-month-old baby.
🗽🇺🇸⚖️#NYC Colorado tourist who jumped from roof of OYO Times Square hotel on West 47th St. Tuesday night was identified as Dezirae Andersen, age 20. She'd been staying there with her abusive boyfriend Tyler Griffen, 24, and their daughter, 8 months old. https://t.co/rqiWqhAGOR
— Mae_Westside ✍️ 🗽👻 (@Mae_Westside) May 4, 2023
Andersen and her partner got into a fight in their hotel room on the 10th floor prior to the deadly fall. Griffen is accused of repeatedly punching Andersen before the altercation moved into the corridor, according to police sources. The baby was allegedly pulled violently by Griffen after that, according to sources, which resulted in the infant falling down a flight of steps, per the New York Post.
Andersen then made her way to the hotel's roof before jumping. When the police came, Griffen was behaving wildly in the hotel lobby. He was detained and charged with assault, reckless endangerment, and endangering a kid, according to sources and the police. “All hell broke loose in the room,” a source said.
#SuicidePrevention
— 🛬 (@FreqntFlyer) May 3, 2023
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+1-800-273-8255 @Twitter#DeziraeAndersen, 20, was found dead after plunging from the roof of the OYO Times Square hotel on West 47th Street around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, authorities and police sources said.
The young mom who… https://t.co/GKNt2p3lXd
Madeline Holbrook, an assistant district attorney, asked Judge McDonell to award the 8-month-old daughter, who was supposed to be in the custody of child services, a full order of protection. Griffen informed authorities in a taped statement that he remembers hurting his partner. “I remember punching my girlfriend,” according to Holbrook.
“The defendant punched this child’s mother several times about the body,” she said. “Additionally, the defendant allegedly tossed the infant child down a flight of steps into the hands of a stranger. For those reasons, the people believe that a full order of protection is necessary for the child’s safety.”
Anderson's mother, Cheryl Valenzuela, has set up a GoFundMe to raise expenses to bring her remains and her 8-month-old back home with her. "It is with a heavy heart that I come to you all today to ask for your help to provide a funeral and memorial service that my beautiful daughter deserves," she wrote. The grieving mother writes that her daughter was "only 20 years old." Valenzuela added that she needs "to bring her body home to have a proper burial for her." The mother added, "I am just at a loss and anything that anyone can contribute will be greatly appreciated."
Colorado mother, 20, plunges to her death from a Times Square hotel #US #nature #travel #washingtondc #washingtonstate https://t.co/nt08cD7n4O pic.twitter.com/P9TE8wrhDb
— 𝓟𝓻𝓮𝓼𝓼 𝓡𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀 (@PressReview99) May 4, 2023
If you are having thoughts about taking your own life or know of anyone who is, please contact The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-SUICIDE (784-2433)
References:
https://nypost.com/2023/05/03/woman-plunges-to-her-death-from-roof-of-nyc-hotel/
https://www.gofundme.com/f/dezirae-andersen-my-beloved-daughter
Cover Image Source: GoFundMe