The city of Atlanta is reeling after a bizarre accident that took two vibrant young lives.
LaShawna Threatt, 30, an aspiring model, plunged to her death early Saturday morning and her close friend Ciara Williams, 25, clings to life in intensive care after a freak accident over the Memorial Day weekend.
The bizarre accident occurred during the early morning hours of Saturday (May 28), as both Threatt and Williams fell through a 10th floor window at the W Hotel in midtown Atlanta.
Witnesses at the swanky hotel told officers that Threatt and Williams crashed through the window at around 3:15 a.m.
Reportedly the two were “play fighting” and pressed up against a window, the glass suddenly gave way and the window broke as friends at the gathering watched in horror.
LaShawna Threatt & Ciarra Williams
LaShawna was celebrating her 30th birthday with friends at the swanky hotel when the bizarre incident occurred.
The women fell at least 5 floors where they hit another structure, an area that had a slanted sunroof. Threatt was killed on that initial impact.
Williams rolled off the ledge and fell the remaining 20 feet unto the patio, and amazingly survived the fall. She is currently at Grady Memorial Hospital in critical condition.
Many questions arose as to how the girls could have possible broken through what should have been a double-pane hotel glass window.
A friend of both girls, Passionate Chonvill spoke about the incident:
LaShawna is a mess, a silly goofball. She likes to playfight and tickle you. They had just gotten in the hotel and were having a good time.
My friends who were there, said it was so random. They literally just fell out the window. They are two small girls and I am trying to figure out how the hell, two small girls could break a window like that.
Atlanta Police Lt. Paul Guerrucci confirmed there was no foul play:
It appears that there was no malicious act, no foul play, they were just wrestling with each other, they hit the window, the window broke, and they fell out.
Williams, who is originally from Kentucky, remains in critical condition but a family member has said she is doing doing “better than anticipated” and was aware of relatives. Family members remain puzzled about what led to the fall.
The W Hotel has since replaced the windows and hotel management released the following statement:
Our thoughts and prayers are with the woman who was injured and the family and friends of the woman who died in the fall.
There is a police investigation underway and all information must come from the authorities.