2 Suicides In 2 Days: 20 y.o. Aspiring Model and 31 y.o Google Engineer

A heartbroken mother has started a Go FundMe page to pay for the funeral of her daughter and to bring her daughter’s eight month old baby home.

Desirae Andersen plunged to her death from a hotel near Times Square following an argument with her boyfriend on May 2, police said.

Its followed a vicious argument with her 24 year boyfriend Tyler Griffen. Andersen and her daughter were staying in a room in the Oyo Hotel when an argument broke out and spilled into the hallway.

Two days later, a 31 year-old software engineer at Google fell to his death from the 14th floor of the tech giant’s Manhattan HQ in Chelsea at 111 Eighth Ave. in another apparent suicide. The unidentified tech engineer left no note.

Griffen, who was arrested and charged with assault and reckless endangerment, admitted at his arraignment that he remembered punching his girlfriend but was not arrested for her death. Prosecutors said during the fight he also pushed the eight-month old daughter down a flight of stairs, but she was saved by other hotel guests and not injured. By the time police had responded to 911 calls about the vicious argument, Andersen had climbed out of the tenth floor window of the hotel and leaped to her death. Her body was found on scaffolding on the second floor and she was pronounced dead at the scene by EMS.

Anderson was from Littletown, CO. and was reportedly studying to be a registered nurse. She was also modeling. She was reportedly in New York with her boyfriend for a modeling gig.

A Go FundMe page started by her mother Cheryl Valenzuela had raised $6,085 by May 5 toward a goal of $10,000 to pay for a funeral and to bring the eight month old baby home.

“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.

“She was only 20 years old and died after a physical altercation with her boyfriend in New York. I need to bring her body home to have a proper burial for her. She leaves behind an 8 month old baby girl who also needs to be brought home to Colorado from New York and I need to get to her asap. I am just at a loss and anything that anyone can contribute will be greatly appreciated.”

In the second suicide, the name of the victim had not been released. Police said he was discovered unconscious on the ground outside 111 Eighth Ave., the Manhattan HQ for Google at around 11:30 pm. on May 4 and had appeared to have jumped from a balcony on the 14th floor. No note was left behind. He was brought to Bellevue Hospital where he was pronounced dead. He is the second Google employee in NYC to die in an apparent suicide withing the past three months. On Feb. 16, 33 year old Jacob Pratt, who also worked at the Google’s Manhattan HQ hung himself inside his apartment on West 26th St. and Sixth Ave. on Feb. 16th.

Resources

If your life or someone else’s is in imminent danger, please call 911. If you are in crisis and need immediate help, please call the Suicide and Crisis Hotline: 988

If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, counselors are available 24/7 to listen and support you at NYC Well by texting, calling, or chatting online:

• Text WELL to 65173

• Call 1-888-NYC-WELL

• Chat online: nycwell.cityofnewyork.us/en