A 26-year-old mother of two plunged to her death from the seventh floor of a hotel in Brazil after the window she was leaning against suddenly gave way.
Renata Rebeca Negrao Saldanha dos Santos died at the Rio Poty Hotel in the Ponta d’Areia neighbourhood of Sao Luis.
CCTV footage captured the moments leading up to the tragedy, showing Renata and her boyfriend, Leonardo Augusto Pinto, returning to their hotel room and appearing unsteady on their feet.
At one point, Leonardo was seen closing an open window before Renata sat on the window ledge. Moments later, she suddenly toppled backwards and fell through the opening.
Emergency responders rushed to the scene, but Renata could not be saved.
Leonardo later told investigators that the couple had been drinking and that he could not remember the exact moment she fell.
Footage showed him appearing bewildered as he stared at the spot where Renata had been sitting before leaning out through the opening left by the fallen window.
Police questioned Leonardo before releasing him after reviewing the footage. However, he could be called back to provide further statements.
Investigators are treating the incident as an accident, with investigating officer George Marques saying there was no indication of an assault.
“There was no kind of aggression, there was no pushing. He wasn’t even close to her,” he said.
Authorities are also examining whether the hotel could bear responsibility for the safety and maintenance of its building.
Forensic experts have inspected the window structure to determine how it became detached. However, officials have yet to establish the exact cause of the incident.
The hotel had undergone a fire safety inspection on November 5, during which firefighters identified irregularities in its fire and safety measures.
However, the inspection did not cover the condition of the window involved in Renata’s death. The hotel was notified of the identified issues and subsequently fined.
A friend of Renata, who requested anonymity, questioned the hotel’s maintenance procedures and claimed the assistance provided to the family did not cover all their expenses.
“Just as it was an accident with Renata, when she leaned against it and fell within seconds, it could have happened to a child too, with much less force,” the friend said.
Renata and Leonardo had been staying in Sao Luis since October 28 to attend a poker championship. They were scheduled to return home on November 3, the day she died.
In a statement, the Rio Poty Hotel expressed deep regret over Renata’s death and extended its condolences and support to her family and friends.
Police investigations into the incident are ongoing.
