The family of a much-loved Southwest Airlines flight attendant who fell to her death from the balcony of her room at a layover hotel in Hawaii suspects that either foul play was behind the tragedy or that she suffered a freak accident that caused her to fall.
The deceased body of Jenny Lupton, a veteran crew member at the Dallas-based airline, was found by a hotel employee next to a dumpster on Thursday morning. It’s suspected that Jenny’s body had been lying there for some hours before she was found.
The 50-year-old flight attendant was from Moore, on the outskirts of Oklahoma City, and was on an overnight layover at the four-star Hilton Hawaiian Village resort in Waikiki between August 19 and August 20.
Jenny’s sister, Tresa Lupton, told local outlet 9 News that she doesn’t believe Jenny died by suicide and is demanding a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding her sister’s death. So far, Tresa says she has received very little information from officials in Hawaii.
In the hours before her death, Jenny had been in conversation with her sister over text message.
“She just went out with one of her flight attendant friends, and they danced and had a good time,” Tresa said. “She had gotten a tattoo while she was there.”
“The timeline doesn’t make sense, and we are afraid that maybe there was foul play,” Tresa added.
Speaking to another news outlet, Tresa said: “We strongly believe that she didn’t do this intentionally, and so that leads us to think it was either some kind of freak accident or someone harmed her.”
Jenny is survived by a 15-year-old son who was at home at the time of her death. Sadly, it took 24 hours before officials in Hawaii made contact with Jenny’s family in Moore.
In a tribute posted on Facebook, Jenny’s niece, Hannah Lupton, wrote: “She was truly the best aunt anyone could have asked for. She was the light of every party, the person who could make a room brighter simply by being in it. She had a personality that was impossible to forget, and if you knew her, you probably have a funny story about her.”
“I became a flight attendant after her, and I know I’ll always carry that connection with me. She inspired me in ways she may never have realized, and I’m so thankful for the impact she had on my life.”
In a statement, a spokesperson for Southwest Airlines said: “The Southwest Airlines family is deeply saddened by the passing of our colleague during a layover in Hawaii. We have offered our condolences and support to the Employee’s family and co-workers and are engaged with local authorities as they investigate.”
If you or someone you know is struggling, support is available. You don’t have to be in crisis to reach out, and these services are free and confidential.
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — Call or text 988, available 24/7 across the United States.
- Crisis Text Line — Text HOME to 741741 to reach a trained crisis counselor.
- SAMHSA National Helpline — Call 1-800-662-4357 for free, confidential treatment referral and information, 24/7.
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