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Authorities Rule Trans-Woman's Death an Accident, But Family Suspects Foul Play

Inconsistencies in official's ruling raise questions with family members as they work to understand the full details of victim's death
2020-09-18
Photo: Google Maps

On September 7, the body of a transgender woman was found dead in Brownsville, but circumstances around the death remain unclear, reports Gay City News.

That Monday police responded to a 8:30 am call regarding an unconscious body found  behind a Brownsville building at 277 Rockaway Parkway. EMS pronounced her dead when they arrived. Her body was partly unclothed and wrapped in a plastic trap.

The victim was later identified as 21-year-old Gianna Lofton of Chicago. Stantasia Jones, who claimed to be the victims sister, said that her sibling went by Isabella Mia Lofton.

New York police detectives informed Jones that Lofton's autopsy revealed that she was intoxicated and had cocaine in her system, and that she fell to her death from a rooftop to lower roof landing.

Jones wasn't convinced that her sister's death was an accident. In photos of Lofton's body, Jones found inconsistencies with the authorities' explanation.

"I don't believe it," said Jones. "I think there was some foul play and our plan is to get her another autopsy."

The photo showed Lofton from the chest up. Jones believed that despite falling from a falling from a several stories high rooftop "there's nothing wrong with her hair." She also wondered why there weren't any noticeable signs of bleeding.

She asked, "If you're stumbling drunk, how could you make it to the fifth or sixth floor?"

Jones worries that Lofton was raped, killed and wrapped in plastic, though there isn't evidence to support this claim.

She recalls Lofton visiting New York from Chicago to spend the evening with two friends - Dominique and Kiara, who are also transgender. Dominique was inside her residence while Kiara and Lofton were drinking liquor in other areas of the building and hallway.

Jones said that the two soon became too inebriated and Kiara left to get help from Dominique, but when they returned Lofton was gone. Detectives have video evidence of the time but haven't shared it with the victim's family.

Office of the Chief Medical Examiner confirmed that final autopsy results is still "pending."

Jones and family are working on raising money for memorial services and bringing Lofton's body back to Chicago.




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