Miss Alabama Zoe Bethel’s family insists she didn't take own life: 'She was growing'
Zoe Sozo Bethel’s family has denied suggestions that the beauty queen willfully leaped to her own death from a Miami condo. In a statement issued to DailyMail.com, the 27-year-old’s grief-stricken relatives said that she was a “devout believer in Jesus” and a “proud conservative” who would never think of any such drastic step.
Bethel fell from the building standing in the waterfront Edgewater neighborhood on February 10. She was in a coma for eight days before succumbing to brain injuries. Initially, the Miami Police Department had probed the incident as an attempted suicide but later termed it as a “tragic accident” and rejected any foul play.
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The statement from the family of Bethel, who has a five-year-old daughter, read: “She was growing and becoming more successful each year of her life, and she was only just beginning. And if she had a choice, she would still be here with us today. As is common with any death that is not due to natural causes, law enforcement will conduct an investigation into the cause of death. Thus, the investigation into the cause of Zoe's death is part of the normal protocol for law enforcement, and is still open and pending.”
It continued: “The initial police report is simply preliminary and is not conclusive, and is further absent specific facts from eyewitness testimony that would alter the 'incident type' status listed on the preliminary police report. The family reserves the right to release information as is appropriate in conjunction with the investigation and will make certain necessary information available at the conclusion of the investigation.”
It has been said that the former Miss Alabama was living with a family member when police were called. A statement from the police department mentioned, “On Friday, February 11, 2022 at approximately 12:05 am, Miami Police Officers responded to a call of a possible suicide attempt. The preliminary investigation revealed that the victim fell out of a third-floor window. The victim was identified as 27-year-old, Zoe Sozo Bethel. She was transported by Miami Fire Rescue to Jackson Memorial Hospital in critical condition.”
“On Friday, February 18, 2022 at 5:24 a.m., Zoe Sozo Bethel succumbed to her injuries. The Miami-Dade Medical Examiner ruled the cause of death as 'Blunt Force Trauma' and the manner of death as 'Accidental'. This was a tragic accident, and no foul play is suspected,” the statement noted.
Meanwhile, a fundraiser was started on GoFundMe, where Bethel’s devastated family has urged for money to cover her medical expenses as well as funeral costs. The message on the page read: “Hello everyone, this is from the Family of Zoé Bethel. Thank you all for your love & prayers! At this moment, we are praying earnestly for God to do what he knows to be best in his infinite wisdom in this situation. We know Zoe has many people who care about her and who would like a way to show support for her in any way they are able to. It is difficult to speak about things such as high medical expenses during a time like this, but the reality is that Zoe did not have medical insurance, and having had multiple surgeries of this caliber will be a massive expense. As of now we have not received a final bill from the hospital, but from our research and overall knowledge of medical expenses and also with her not having health insurance, we have set the conservative goal above, which is likely to fluctuate.”
It added: “So we are asking for those who are able, to give whatever God has placed on their heart to help the family with the current expenses & future expenses, which would cover: -current procedures performed -future life sustaining medicine -recovery & therapy (if applicable) -funeral & memorial expenses (if applicable) -resources for Zoe's daughter[.] All of your support will be greatly appreciated no matter how small, everything help[s]!”