US: In a devastating turn of events, a teenager lost her life after jumping from a building in New York City on Saturday night, as reported by the New York Post. The incident took place at the New York University art building, a six-story structure known for housing the universitys art departments studios, classrooms, and offices.According to reports, the 18-year-old leaped from a fifth-floor window of the building, whose identity remains undisclosed, Shortly thereafter, police arrived at the scene to find the teenager unconscious and severely injured. Despite efforts to save her, she was pronounced dead upon arrival at Bellevue Hospital. Authorities are yet to confirm whether the deceased was affiliated with NYU as a student.Eyewitnesses said that they heard a thump and girl scream from her nearby apartment. The circumstances surrounding the teenagers tragic death remain shrouded in mystery.Rise in suicide rates in the United StatesThis incident adds to a concerning trend in the United States, where suicide rates have steadily risen in recent years. According to NBC News, over 50,000 Americans died by suicide in 2023. Mental health experts blamed the alarming increase on various factors, including the lingering effects of the pandemic. They also said that the rise in suicides is also triggered by levels of depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and economic hardships. The Deputy Chief Medical Officer for Altapointe Health Luke Engeriser, expressed the tragic nature of the situation and said, Its tragic, we started to see a big increase in suicide deaths during the opioid epidemic. That was worsened by Covid and unfortunately, those rates have continued to increase.
