Deputy Medical Examiner Rules Monrovia Light Rail Incident a Suicide

Atapproximately 8:40 a.m. Wednesday a young mother and child attempted to crossthe railroad tracks at California Avenue and Duarte Road on foot despite thecautionary bells and clangs that indicate a train is in the immediate area.

Multipleagencies for Pasadena, Arcadia, Monrovia, L.A. County Sheriff’s and UrbanSearch and Rescue coordinated the rescue efforts as part of a mutual aid agreementwith Verdugo Dispatch.

On Thursday,the Medical Examiner’s office in Los Angeles confirmed the death was a resultof suicide. Therese Papagayo, 36, committed suicide pending additionalinformation according the Medical Examiner.

According toRamon Montenegro, Los Angeles Sheriff’s Bureau public information officer, thearriving first responders and paramedics declared the two victims dead at 9 a.m.The train was operating on the L Line, formerly known as the Gold Line, and wasgoing northbound from the Monrovia Station when it hit the pedestrians,Montenegro said.

Rail service was interrupted between the Monrovia and Duarte stations, and buses were brought in to accommodate passengers, according to Metro.

According to reports, the train was pulling out of the Myrtle station en route to Duarte when the mother attempted to cross the tracks despite all the usual precautionary and safety deterrents in place.

In adesperate attempt to save the child’s life, the mother allegedly threw her 14-monthold out of harm’s way, or so she thought. The child did not survive and thedeceased mother was pinned under one of the L Line cars.

Heavyequipment was brought in to assist with the raising of the train and recoveryof the body.

There were no immediate reports of other injuries in this incident. The Deputy Medical Examiner, Dr. Kennedy, said death of the Filipino mother Wednesday morning was ruled suicide.

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