A 40-year-old woman and her 2-year-old child were killed in a fall at Petco Park less than an hour before the start of Saturday afternoon's Padres vs. Braves game, according to multiple reports. Police told reporters, including Gary Robbins and Lori Weisberg of the San Diego Union-Tribune, the deaths "appeared to be suspicious" but it was too early to determine if they were accidental or intentional.
The incident occurred on Tony Gwynn Drive in the Gaslamp Quarter. The woman and child fell from the concourse dining area at the third level of Petco Park, the equivalent of about six stories. Medical personnel made efforts to revive the woman and child, but they did not survive the fall. Police say the child's father was at the ballpark at the time.
"Our hearts obviously go out to the family, but also to the people who here could potentially be traumatized who saw this," homicide Lt. Andra Brown told Robbins and Weisberg. "It's a horrible, horrible thing. That's why we're giving it a very serious look."
Fans in the area who witnessed the tragedy posted notes on social media reflecting the horror and sadness. One person told Robbins and Weisberg the child fell from an area with picnic tables, and the woman fell while trying to grab the child.
"We are aware of the incident on Tony Gwynn Dr. and first responders are on scene," Padres vice president of communications Craig Hughner said in a statement. "Due to the ongoing investigation, we are not able to comment further at this time. All media inquiries should be directed to SDPD."
