TWO STUDENTS AT PRESTIGIOUS NEW YORK CITY SCHOOLS PLUNGE TO THEIR DEATHS WEEKS APART

Daily Mail

 

Horror as two young students, 14 and 16, plunge to their deaths at prestigious Upper East Side schools just weeks apart

By KELLY GARINO, US REPORTER

Published: 14:35 EST, 18 December 2025 | Updated: 18:20 EST, 18 December 2025

 

A 14-year-old girl died after a fall from a prestigious all-girls private school in New York City, just weeks after a young boy’s death at a neighboring school.

 

On Wednesday evening, NYPD officers discovered an unidentified teenage girl unconscious and unresponsive outside the Chapin School on East End Avenue near East 84th Street in the Upper East Side, according to the department.

 

Authorities said her injuries were 'indicative of falling from an elevated position,' though it remains unclear whether the incident was accidental or intentional.

 

She was rushed to New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center in critical condition where she later succumbed to her injuries.

 

Police said no arrests have been made while the investigation continues, and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner is expected to determine the cause of death.

 

The young girl's death comes just one month after a 16-year-old boy fell to his death from a private all-boys school in the same Manhattan neighborhood.

 

On November 13, a teenage student waiting to meet with an administrator about a disciplinary issue died after falling from a fifth-floor window at Regis High School near East 84th Street and Madison Avenue.

 

Officers discovered him outside the building with injuries consistent with a fall from a height, and he was rushed to the same hospital.

 

Sources told The New York Post that the boy was waiting outside a school official’s office on the first floor before walking to the fifth floor and plunging to his death.

 

Though initially listed in stable condition upon arrival at the hospital, his condition quickly worsened, and he was pronounced dead within two hours.

 

Hours after the incident, a man leaving the tuition-free school informed the community that ‘someone had an accident’ and was ‘seriously injured,’ declining to offer further details, as reported by The Post.

 

A neighbor said a parent of a student at the school had also received a notification stating that ‘there was an incident’ on campus and that all students were being sent home for the day.

 

In a statement to People, a Regis High School representative described the incident as an 'unimaginable tragedy.'

 

'It is with heavy hearts that we write that one of our students tragically lost his life,' the statement said.

 

'We are deeply saddened by his loss, and we pray that the Lord welcomes him into eternal rest and comforts his family.'

 

Sister Mary Grace Walsh, Superintendent of Schools for the Archdiocese of New York, issued an additional statement on behalf of the Catholic schools in the state.

 

'During this difficult time, school counselors remain available to offer support as needed,' she wrote. 'I encourage any young person who may be struggling to reach out to a trusted adult and to rely on the care of those around them.'

 

'I ask the Catholic school community to join me in holding the Regis High School community close in prayer. May they feel the compassion of our wider community and the peace of Christ as they mourn,' the statement added.

 

Both Regis High School and Chapin School are private educational institutions, notable in the neighborhood for differing reputations and histories.

 

According to its website, Regis is 'tuition free and merit based, giving special consideration to families in need of financial assistance.'

 

The school’s 540 students - all in grades 9 through 12 - come from an impressive 219 zip codes across New York City.

 

Just over half of the students - specifically 52 percent - are sons of immigrants.

 

On the other hand, Chapin School, established in 1901 by Maria Bowen Chapin, is an elite preparatory institution serving female students from kindergarten through grade 12.

 

A handful of the school’s alumni have achieved national recognition, including former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and presidential daughters Ivanka Trump, Julie Nixon Eisenhower and Tricia Nixon Cox.

 

In contrast to Regis, Chapin School requires significant tuition, with fees reaching $62,250 for the 2025–2026 academic year.

 

However, according to Chapin's website, the school is committed to 'providing generous financial grants to families.'

 

The NYPD and Chapin School did not immediately respond to Daily Mail's request for comment.

 

If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or are experiencing a mental health crisis and live in New York City, you can call 1-888-NYC-WELL for free and confidential crisis counseling.

 

If you live outside the five boroughs, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 988 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.