A San Diego mother and her child tragically died at the San Diego Padres' ballpark, Petco Park, during a September 25 game against the Atlanta Braves. 40-year-old Raquel Wilkins and her 2-year-old son Denzel-Browning Wilkins fell from a dining and concessions area around 3:50 p.m. as fans were entering the stadium for the game. They were pronounced dead at 4:11 p.m. Per ESPN, the Petco Park deaths were ruled a homicide-suicide.
A woman who fell to her death at Petco Park while holding her toddler son last September died by suicide, according to a statement Wednesday from the San Diego Police Department. Authorities ruled her 2-year-old son's death a homicide.
Previously, San Diego police had said that the Petco Park deaths were suspicious, with the homicide unit being called in for an investigation.
According to ESPN, one witness told San Diego's Fox 5 that Wilkins had jumped onto a bench at the Padres' home stadium and was laughing before she lost her balance and fell. Her child's father was also at the ballpark but reportedly declined an interview with ESPN last year.
Via ESPN, here are the words of the San Diego Police Department, who released a statement Wednesday.
Detectives “conducted a thorough and comprehensive investigation that included dozens of interviews, reviewing of available video footage, and collecting background information to determine what led to the deaths.”
The police said they would not release any further information. Attorney Dan Gilleon, who represents Wilkins' family, said that he was disappointed about the lack of information provided to the family about the investigation and its conclusion.
A wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of Wilkins parents against Petco Park and San Diego is pending.
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