ATLANTA Two women fell 10 stories from a guestroom at W Atlanta Midtown last week, killing one and critically injuring the other.
According to witness reports, the floor-to-ceiling window spontaneously shattered as the two women—each weighing approximately 120 pounds—were leaning on it. There are no reports of foul play, although there are conflicting accounts of whether the women may have been roughhousing. Police are expected to rule the death an accident.
The family of LaShawna Threatt, who was in the midst of celebrating her 30th birthday when she plummeted to her death, is planning to file a wrongful death lawsuit. The family has retained The Cochran Firm.
The hotel has issued a statement expressing condolences and promising to work with investigators. “This was a tragic accident and our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of LaShawna Threatt and with her friend, Ciara Williams, for whom we pray for a successful recovery.
“We are taking this horrible accident very, very seriously. Like everyone, it’s hard for us to understand exactly how this happened. In addition to cooperating fully with the police investigation, we are also conducting an internal investigation. At this point, we don’t have information to share as it is early in the process. As you can imagine, until we have assembled and analyzed all of the facts, we don’t want to speculate. Rest assured, the safety and security of our guests and associates is paramount.”
The 37-year-old hotel is owned by Noble Investment Group. It underwent a US$50 million renovation in 2007.