Cops Reveal Miss Alabama Zoe Sozo Bethel Took Mystery Cannabis Drug, Suffered Breakdown Before Running ‘Full Speed’ Off Third-Floor Balcony
Zoe Sozo Bethel, the 2021 winner of the Miss Alabama beauty pageant who tragically passed away a little more than one week after falling from a third-story balcony, reportedly took a mysterious substance and suffered a mental breakdown just before her fatal fall.
According to The Sun, Miami police revealed on Monday that the 27-year-old beauty queen started “acting strange” after ingesting a mystery cannabis substance on February 10. Bethel then reportedly started praying before charging “full speed” towards the balcony railing, ultimately falling from the third-story and plummeting down to the parking lot below where she suffered serious brain injuries and went into a coma.
Bethel remained in the coma until February 18, which is when she succumbed to her devastating injuries and tragically passed away.
As RadarOnline.com reported, Bethel’s death was initially investigated as a suicide before being officially declared a tragic accident. Bethel’s brother, Santiago Roman, was with her at the time of the incident and told police that his sister did not see the balcony railing in her delirium and ultimately toppled over it accidentally.
“The victim ingested a small amount of the substance. Mr Roman asked what's that substance and she replied that it was a form of cannabis that helps her relax given to her by a friend,” the Miami-Dade police report obtained by the outlet states after revealing the incident started at a restaurant before the two headed back to Bethel’s brother’s condo.
“The victim took off her clothing and went to take a shower,” the report continues, claiming that Bethel was feeling uncontrollably hot after ingesting the mysterious substance. “Mr. Roman stated that even after taking a shower the victim was still not feeling well and began acting very strange.”
“Mr. Roman went into the bedroom to blow up the air mattress where the victim had been sleeping on while visiting him from out of town. While Mr. Roman was in the bedroom, he heard the door to the apartment open. Mr. Roman then went out and observed the victim walking near the elevator.”
“Mr. Roman called out the victim's name to tell her to get back inside. The victim looked back and took off running full speed straight ahead. Mr. Roman stated that the victim was not aware of the balcony railing in front of her. The victim's bottom part of her body hit the railing and she fell over, landing on the first-floor parking lot.”
Bethel’s brother immediately ran down to help his sister, which is when he found her laying in the parking lot “bleeding from the head and nose.”
"If she had a choice, she would still be here with us today," Roman said in an interview after confirming the death of his sister just more than a week after the tragic incident. "The final report will reflect the nature of the accident but it was not a suicide.”
Bethel's tragic death also came just weeks following the death of former Miss USA Cheslie Kryst, who heartbreakingly passed away after jumping from her 60-story New York City apartment building on January 30 in an apparent suicide.