A 13-year-old from Oakland, California died after falling out of a hotel window while on vacation in Mexico with his family.
Ruben Navarro Jr., known as Junior, fell out of a sixth-story window at the Hotel Corona Plaza in Rosarito, Baja California on February 2, according to local outlet KRON4. The teenager was playing with his cousins in the hotel’s hallway when he accidentally backed into a glass panel, his family told KRON4.
His aunt, Marisol Mendez, told the outlet the hotel’s window should’ve been more sturdy.
“These hotels should have enough strength,” she said. “There’s no way that window should’ve come off that easily.”
Pictures of the hotel window shared by local media outlet Rosarito en la Noticia on Facebook show there are no glass shards in the window, which KRON4 reports could indicate the glass panel popped out of the window rather than shattered.
The hotel also does not have footage of the incident, Mendez told KRON4, because the cameras are motion activated and Navarro wasn’t moving quickly enough to be detected.
A GoFundMe was launched for the family’s funeral expenses, raising $25,000 as of Friday afternoon.
“During this difficult time, we are asking for support to help with funeral expenses. Any contribution, no matter the size, will go directly to helping cover these costs and providing some relief for Ruben’s family as they navigate this incredibly tough period,” the GoFundMe reads.
Mendez described Navarro as an “old soul,” telling KRON4 his death has been“really hard” for his family, particularly his mother.
“He stole their heart,” she told KRON4. “He was hilarious. He had an old soul. The way he talked was like an adult.”
The Independent has contacted the hotel and local police department for comment.
