40-Year-Old Mom and 2-Year-Old Son Identified After Falling to Death at Petco Park
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San Diego police have identified the mother and son who fell to their deaths while attending an MLB game at Petco Park on Saturday, according to multiple outlets.
Raquel Wilkins, 40, and her 2-year-old son, Denzel Browning-Wilkins, were killed after they fell six stories at Petco Park a short time before the hometown San Diego Padres faced the visiting Atlanta Braves, according to local news stations KFMB and KNSD.
Donald Wilkins, Raquel's father, told KFMB that his daughter texted him pictures on Saturday that showed her smiling with her son. He said he had no reason to believe his daughter would take her own life or the life of her child.
"She was really lovey to him," he told the outlet. "He was her life."
The San Diego Police Department did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment on Thursday.
In a previous statement, department officials said they believed the deaths were "suspicious." The department's homicide unit was called to the scene to investigate "out of an abundance of caution," they said, and an investigation is ongoing.
A witness at the game told news station KSWB that Wilkins appeared to lose her balance after twice jumping on a bench on the third level of Petco Park. The witness said Wilkins seemed "happy" and was laughing before losing balance and falling off the bench located near a railing.
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"She seemed happy — laughing," the witness said. "She lost her balance and fell off the bench. I remarked to my son, 'Oh my gosh she almost fell.'"
Then, just seconds later, Wilkins stood back on the bench and fell over the railing with her toddler.
"I remember saying. 'I can't believe she's doing that again,' " the witness said, "and then she was gone."
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According to KSWB, a lawyer representing the Wilkins family is planning a wrongful death lawsuit, though it wasn't clear when it would be filed or against whom.
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On Sunday, the San Diego Padres released a statement on the incident.
"We are deeply saddened by the loss of life at Petco Park last evening," the team said, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of those involved. We will continue to refrain from comment on the nature of the incident as it is an ongoing investigation by the San Diego Police Department."
