Spring break tourist found dead outside Florida condo fell from a balcony, cops say

A teen found dead outside a West Florida condominium was a spring break tourist who fell to his death from a fourth-floor balcony, according to the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office.

It happened before dawn Tuesday, April 4, in Destin, about 50 miles east of Pensacola in the Panhandle.

“A person staying at a neighboring condo noticed a body on the ground near an entry way outside a building at 500 Gulf Shore Drive, and called 9-1-1 around 4:08 a.m. for a welfare check,” the sheriff’s office said in a news release.

“The individual was deceased when first responders arrived. ... The victim has been identified as a 17-year-old male from Grand Rapids, Michigan.”

The teen’s identity has not been released as of April 5.

It is believed he fell from four floors above in what investigators are calling a “tragic Spring Break death.” Alcohol consumption may have been a factor, officials said.

Destin is a popular Gulf Coast destination for college students on spring break, with a “wild nightlife,” according to Student Escape. Spring break peaks in March but can last into April for some colleges, Springbreak.com reports.

This story was originally published April 5, 2023 at 6:10 AM with the headline "Spring break tourist found dead outside Florida condo fell from a balcony, cops say."