New Orleans Police Boost Patrols at 45-Story Plaza Tower After 17-Year-Old's Death
Updated
Updated · NOLA.com · Aug 18
New Orleans Police Boost Patrols at 45-Story Plaza Tower After 17-Year-Old's Death
3 articles · Updated · NOLA.com · Aug 18
Summary
Jacque St. Ann, a 17-year-old Belle Chasse High senior, died after falling down an interior stairwell without a handrail while exploring the abandoned tower with friends shortly after midnight Saturday.
City officials said the patrol increase is temporary and stressed that securing the fenced-off 45-story building is the legal responsibility of its owner, the estate of late developer Joe Jaeger.
NOPD Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said security is believed to exist at the site but could not confirm it was present at the time; no charges had been filed as of Monday, though owner liability remains possible.
The death adds to a string of incidents at Plaza Tower, including a 2023 fatal fall and a 2021 case in which falling panels struck a bicyclist.
The case also underscores a broader problem with abandoned properties in New Orleans, where officials and developers say fences, cameras and guards still often fail to keep trespassers out.