(KRON) — A 13-year-old Oakland boy died after falling from a lodge window whereas his household was vacationing in Mexico earlier this month, a member of the family advised KRON4. The household believes the lodge’s defective infrastructure is responsible for his loss of life.
Ruben Navarro Jr. was generally known as simply “Junior” to his household, his aunt Marisol Mendez mentioned. Junior, a pupil at Lighthouse Group Constitution in Oakland, liked dancing and bicycling and will usually be seen becoming a member of bike teams within the East Bay.
On the primary weekend of February, Navarro joined about 10 members of the family on a visit to Rosarito, a resort metropolis in Baja California. They stayed on the Lodge Corona Plaza.
Photos of Ruben Navarro Jr. from Marisol Mendez.
Mendez mentioned that on Feb. 1, the household returned to the lodge after a time out within the metropolis. The adults congregated within the foyer whereas the youngsters went upstairs.
Ruben was enjoying within the hallway together with his cousins when, in line with the household, he unintentionally backed right into a glass panel. The panel got here out of the wall, and Ruben fell six flooring to his loss of life early on the morning of Feb. 2.
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Mendez, who was not on the journey however was relayed info by her household, is a forensics skilled. She mentioned pictures from the scene present that the lodge’s infrastructure was faulty. An image posted by native information outlet Rosarito en la Noticia reveals no shards of glass within the window, suggesting the panel merely fell out as an alternative of shattering.
“These motels ought to have sufficient power. There’s no approach that window ought to’ve come off that simply,” she mentioned.
Picture displaying the window that Ruben fell from. (Marisol Mendez)
Mendez mentioned the lodge’s hallway cameras didn’t choose up the autumn as a result of they’re activated by movement, and Ruben wasn’t transferring quick sufficient to activate them. KRON4 reached out to Lodge Corona for its info and didn’t obtain a response in time for this story.
In line with Rosarito en la Noticia, one other vacationer died on the similar lodge in an incident involving an elevator a number of years in the past.
Ruben’s loss of life has been “really hard” for his household, notably his mom, Mendez mentioned. A GoFundMe has been arrange for his funeral bills.
Mendez knew him by her brother, who married Ruben’s mom after he was born. Because the household was assembly their new in-laws, Ruben instantly gained them over.
“He stole their heart. He was hilarious. He had an old soul. The way he talked was like an adult,” she mentioned.
The native police division, Fiscalia Normal de Estado, has been working with the household on Ruben’s case. They haven’t responded to an inquiry from KRON4 as of the time this report was printed.
The Oakland Unified College District declined to touch upon Ruben’s loss of life, saying its public info workplace doesn’t work with constitution faculties. Lighthouse Group Constitution didn’t reply to an e mail from KRON4.
