By CESAR JOLITO III

Police are investigating the death of a 17-year-old boy who died after falling from the fifth floor of a mall in Bacolod City on January 7, with authorities saying it is still too early to determine whether the incident was accidental, suicide-related or involved foul play.

Bacolod City Police Station 1 commander Captain Efren Legada said investigators are coordinating with mall management to review CCTV footage to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.

“At this point, we cannot conclude that this was a suicide,” Legada said, stressing that all possibilities remain under investigation.

Based on initial findings, the teenager, a resident of Bacolod City, went alone to the mall’s fifth floor at 9:29 p.m.

He was later discovered by a security guard with serious injuries after the fall.

The victim was rushed to a hospital but was declared dead.

Legada said the victim’s family declined to provide additional details about the boy’s background.

However, police confirmed that the teenager had sent a video message to his parents shortly before the incident, which is now being considered part of the ongoing investigation.

In light of the incident, Legada called on mall management to strengthen security protocols, including increased visibility patrols and stricter monitoring of public areas, to help prevent similar cases in the future.

Police said the investigation is continuing as they await footage from closed-circuit television cameras and other relevant information that could shed light on the tragic incident./CJ, WDJ