After 5 Deaths In 7 Months, Northeastern Beefs Up Garage Security

BOSTON, MA — Northeastern University is searching for a solution one day after a school-owned garage was the site where a West Roxbury woman and her two small children fell to their deaths in what is being called a likely double murder-suicide on Christmas.

Erin Pascal, 40, of West Roxbury and her two small children were found unconscious outside the Renaissance Park Garage near the Ruggles MBTA station, about three blocks from Boston Police headquarters. The bus driver who found them called police shortly before 2 p.m. Wednesday. The three were pronounced dead at the hospital.

The deaths are the third, fourth and fifth at the garage in the last seven months after suicide in May and earlier December, something Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins pointed out in a Thursday news conference. She said she reached out to the school after the second suicide on Dec. 9

"I don't know what else has to happen in order for this to be handled or taken more seriously," Rollins told reporters.

Representatives from the school told Patch Thursday they put additional security staffing in place to patrol three of their parking garages in Boston, including the Renaissance Park garage, after the Dec. 9 suicide.

"Following Wednesday's tragic incident, the university has indefinitely blocked both pedestrian and vehicular access to the top two floors of the Renaissance Park garage," Shannon Nargi, a spokesperson for the university, said.

"This restricted access will continue until a permanent solution is implemented," Nargi said. "In addition, effective immediately, there will be 24-hour security staffing in place to monitor the Renaissance Park garage."

The university is also installing additional surveillance cameras to ensure full coverage of the top of the garage, she said.

Rollins said she hopes Northeastern will do something to prevent a similar incident from happening in the future.

Wednesday's deaths, described by Rollins as a "likely double-murder suicide," is the latest tragedy there this year.

The garage is the same one Boston College student Alexander Urtula jumped from the day of his graduation last May — his girlfriend is being tried on involuntary manslaughter charges for what prosecutors said was encouraging his suicide. Another death ruled a suicide Dec. 9.

Rollins said the holidays can be a hard time for people. She encouraged anyone struggling to reach out to support groups and help lines.

Suicide was the second leading cause of death for people in Massachusetts last year between the age of 15-32. More than four times as many people die by suicide in the Commonwealth annually than by homicide, according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

Previously:

• DA Releases Details On Christmas Day Deaths
• Man Dies After Jump Off Revere Hotel In Boston: Police

Suicide prevention:

If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, there are services available to help you. Please utilize this help. You can call or text the Samaritans Statewide Hotline 877-870-HOPE (4673). Help is also available through the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by calling 800-273- TALK (8255); military veterans and their loved ones should press “1” for the Veterans Crisis Line. The Trevor Lifeline is available to help lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth and young adults at 866-4-U-TREVOR (488- 7386). If you believe that you or another individual is at immediate risk of harm, you can always call 911. Additional resources can be found through the Massachusetts Coalition for the Prevention of Suicide.

Patch reporter Jenna Fisher can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna).