Woman who fell from Riverfront Park pedestrian bridge committed suicide, medical examiner’s office rules

The Spokane County Medical Examiner’s Office has ruled a woman’s death a suicide after her body was pulled from the Spokane River on the evening of March 20.

Emergency crews spent several hours searching for the woman – using boats, divers and the Sheriff’s Office helicopter – after witnesses reported she had gone off a pedestrian suspension bridge in Riverfront Park. At the time, it wasn’t clear whether she had fallen or jumped.

The incident occurred when many people were visiting the park to view the falls while the river was near flood stage. City officials closed the pedestrian bridges in the park the next day as a safety precaution. The bridges reopened on Monday, but people are still prohibited from entering the river.

The medical examiner’s office said the woman was 62 and that she died of head injuries, with drowning and hypothermia as contributing factors. The office said she was identified based on descriptions and a photo published by local news outlets.