Woman Jumps to Her Death From Los Angeles High-Rise

Early reports suggest victim was an employee of Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.
Woman Jumps to Her Death From Los Angeles High-Rise
3530 Wilshire Building in the Koreatown area of Los Angeles in November 2023. (Googles Maps/Screenshot via The Epoch Times)
Beige Luciano-Adams
2/13/2024
Updated:
2/13/2024

A woman died last week after jumping from the roof of a high-rise in Koreatown, according to the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD).

The incident occurred at the 3530 Wilshire Building at Wilshire Boulevard and Normandie Avenue in Koreatown at 10:57 a.m. on Feb. 8.

Police responded to the call and determined there was no foul play, referring further investigation to the coroner’s report, an LAPD spokesperson told The Epoch Times.

“According to officials at the scene, the deceased woman was in her 40s, and she reportedly worked as a civil servant in this building,” the Korea Times reported over the weekend.

The local Korean-language outlet was the only media to initially cover the incident, which occurred in broad daylight.

Meanwhile, rumors about the victim’s identity and condolences from friends and colleagues began to circulate on social media—including Reddit, Instagram, and Twitter, where an independent journalist identified the victim as Heather Hughes, an employee of the Environmental Health Division of the county’s Department of Public Health.

These early reports also cited a Medical Examiner’s report identifying a suicide death on Feb. 8 under the name “Heather Holsen.”
Public records identify “Heather Hughes” as an environmental health specialist with the department.
“Workplace bullying and retaliation led to the suicide of Heather Hughes, an LA County Department of Public Health employee, on Thursday,” wrote Jennifer Van Laar, editor of the online publication RedState, on X.

Ms. Van Laar reported that sources revealed Ms. Hughes left a note referencing superiors at the department, and the denial of requests for a Family and Medical Leave Act request. “She put on her Public Health jacket and went to the top of the 18-story building at Metroplex Wilshire and jumped.”

The health department did not immediately respond to requests for information.

Beige Luciano-Adams is an investigative reporter covering Los Angeles and statewide issues in California. She has covered politics, arts, culture, and social issues for a variety of outlets, including LA Weekly and MediaNews Group publications. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X: https://twitter.com/LucianoBeige
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