Southwest Flight Attendant's Family Seeks Answers After Hawaii Layover Death
Jenny Lupton, a 50-year-old Southwest Airlines flight attendant from Moore, Oklahoma, was found dead outside her Waikiki hotel last Thursday after apparently falling from the 24th-floor balcony of her room, and her family is now pressing authorities for answers.
The Honolulu Police Department has opened an unattended death investigation, and its Homicide Detail is "actively investigating the circumstances surrounding her death and is working closely with her family," according to a police statement. Police added, "At this time, no conclusions have been made regarding the manner of death." The Honolulu Department of the Medical Examiner has confirmed Lupton's identity and said her official cause and manner of death remain pending, with final determinations potentially taking days or months depending on the complexity of the case.
What Happened During Her Layover
According to Lupton's niece, Hannah Lupton, the medical examiner's office told the family it appeared Lupton fell from the balcony of her room at the Hilton Hawaiian Village and was found near a garbage bin below. Lupton was in Hawaii for a work layover and had planned to stay only a couple of days before returning home to Oklahoma.
Lupton's sister, Tresa, told Oklahoma station KFOR that Jenny had gone out that night with a fellow flight attendant. "She just went out with one of her flight attendant friends, and they danced and had a good time," Tresa said. During the outing, Lupton got a hibiscus tattoo, one she and Tresa had long planned to get together in honor of their father, who had planted hibiscus flowers in the family's yard. Lupton had called her sister just hours before her death to share the news, and intended to finish the tattoo once she returned to Oklahoma.
The Family's Concerns
Tresa Lupton told KFOR the family does not believe Jenny's death was intentional, saying, "We strongly believe that she didn't do this intentionally." She added that the family suspects either "some kind of freak accident or someone harmed her." Those possibilities have not been confirmed by investigators. Hannah Lupton echoed that sentiment to USA Today, saying the family does not believe her aunt's death was a suicide and wants a thorough investigation into what happened.
According to Lupton's family, a hotel security official told them police are reviewing more than 70 nearby surveillance cameras, though it remains unclear whether anyone witnessed the fall.
A 29-Year Career and a Push for Answers
Lupton worked as a flight attendant for 29 years, 26 of them with Southwest Airlines. Hannah described her aunt as a "bright person" who was "the life of the party," adding, "She loved her son, she loved her family, and she loved Moore, Oklahoma." Lupton is survived by her 15-year-old son.
Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond has since contacted his Hawaii counterpart, Attorney General Anne E. Lopez, regarding the case. A spokesperson for Drummond's office, Leslie Berger, said, "We are also in contact with the Lupton family who deserve to have answers about this tragedy."
Southwest Airlines confirmed Lupton's death in a statement, saying, "We have offered our condolences and support to the employee's family and co-workers and are engaged with local authorities as they investigate."
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