Woman falls from roof at late night party ​

A 24-year-old woman has plunged to her death at a late-night rooftop party in New York City.

Cameron Perrelli, a finance worker, was among the revellers at a birthday party in East Village in the early hours of Saturday morning. At about 3am, she lost her footing and fell off the edge of the building.

The party took place on the roof of an apartment building at 202 Avenue A. Police believe Ms Perrelli was trying to cross to the roof of the adjacent building, 200 Avenue A, when she fell, though their investigation is ongoing.

She did not live in either of the buildings. There is no suspicion of criminal behaviour.

Ms Perrelli was taken to nearby Bellevue Hospital, but did not survive.

Her heartbroken family members said the incident was out of character.

“It’s not like her to be a risk taker. She’s not one to take those risks. I don’t get it,” her father, Louis Perrelli, told The New York Daily News.

He described her as “very mature, quiet, lovely” and “an angel”.
 

Her uncle, Michael Perrelli, said the family had heard three different, conflicting versions of what happened.

“We don’t really know a lot,” he said.

“We got three stories: that she was jumping from one building to the next, (that) she was walking on an air conditioning vent, and then somebody just said she slipped.

“Don’t they have a fence on top of the building? They allow parties?”

Mr Perrelli said his niece was not “a big partier”, nor was she “the daredevil type”.

“She was a good kid. She was a really good kid,” he said.

Rooftop parties are common in New York, and particularly in East Village, which has a fairly young demographic.

Local politicians have reacted to Ms Perrelli’s death by calling on landlords and tenants to be more conscious of safety concerns.

“We are all thinking about the family of the young person who lost their life on Saturday morning,” said Carlina Rivera, a member of the New York City Council.

“This tragedy shows just how dangerous overcrowded or mismanaged rooftop parties have become, and how often they have little to no safety protections or monitoring.

“Landlords are ultimately responsible for ensuring outdoor spaces are legally and safely accessible, and are not used improperly. If you make the decision to buy a building, you are responsible for the lives of its residents. And these landlords are not living up to that responsibility.”

Ms Rivera intends to put forward a bill that would strengthen oversight for the use and capacity of rooftops.

Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer echoed that stance, calling the tragedy a “painful reminder that City Hall and property managers are failing to step up when it comes to rooftop parties”.
 

The Perrelli family paid further tribute to her on social media.

“Today I lost a piece of my heart, my beautiful niece was taken by god to heaven. She was so beautiful in mind, body and soul,” said her uncle, Michael.

“It is so hard to understand God’s reason for taking Cameron, she had so much to offer the world. How do we accept her loss without anger? I would give my life to give hers back. So I ask God why, and I do not have an answer. So hard to find logic in the loss of a child.

“I send all my prayers to my brother, for his baby girl is gone. I know God has a purpose. I hope that the angel he has taken from us will forever shine through and bring strength to all who had the pleasure to be a part of her life.

“Rest in piece our angel, you will be forever in our hearts.”