Updated: Teen Suicide Victim Identified

UPDATE: 6:49 pm: Lt. David Smith of the Los Angeles County Coroner's office confirms that the Crescenta Valley High School student who died was Drew Ferraro.

UPDATE: 3:30 pm: Lt. John Corina of the Crescenta Valley Sheriff's Station said Friday's death of a 15-year-old student "appears to be a suicide.''

The Crescenta Valley High School student was alone on the roof of a multi-story classroom building when it appears he jumped, Corina said. Authorities believe they have identified the student, but they are waiting for the L.A. County Department of the Coroner to release the boy's name. 

GUSD Superintendent Richard Sheehan, who said the boy fell from the 2000 building, would not speculate about whether the boy jumped, nor would he comment about whether the boy might have been the victim of bullying. 

“As far as bullying, we’re in a new era, especially with the Internet. It's a grave concern for everyone,'' Sheehan said, adding he has no indication that bullying was tied to Friday's incident.

The teen-ager's death comes a day after a CVHS program, where authorities staged a drunk driving accident at the campus to warn students against the dangers of getting behind the wheel after drinking alcohol. Only juniors and seniors attend the program.

The Afternoon Scene

The death occurred at the beginning of lunch, and school officials moved quickly to relocate all the students onto the football field. A robo-calling system alerted parents how and when to pick up their children and faxes and emails were sent to all GUSD and other area schools.

For a photo gallery of student reactions following the death, please click on this link to the La Cañada Valley Sun. 

Scores of parents waited for their children to be released, as firetrucks, ambulances and police cars lined the streets. According to the Valley Sun, the students' release caused traffic bottlenecks and caused people's patience to run thin. 

Sheehan stressed during a press conference that crisis teams are on campus, and will stay as long as any students need counseling. He pointed out that parents should talk to their own children and that the most important thing now is to help anyone affected by this tragedy.  

UPDATE: 3:09 pm: Glendale Unified School District Superintendent Richard Sheehan told KCal 9 News that the 10th grader fell from one of the multi-story classroom buildings on campus.

Crisis teams are being brought in to console the students, as many of them witnessed the grusome scene in the quad area during lunch. 

"What is most important is that we take care of the students,'' and the family who suffered this tragedy, Sheehan told KCal9.

UPDATE 2:50pm: Capt. Mike Parker of the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department said homicide detectives are investigating the death of a 15-year-old boy "who fell from a building'' at 12:20 p.m. 

Earlier: Crescenta Valley Students "are not in danger at this time,'' Capt. David Silversparre wrote in a press release Friday following the death of a student at lunch time.

It appears a student jumped or fell to his death from a third-story building into the quad, according to reports from witnesses and the Crescenta Valley Sheriff's Station's watch commander.

Silversparre's statement pointed out that this is an "isolated incident'' being handled by the sheriff's department and is under control.

According to the Glendale News Press, which first reported the incident, grief counselors reportedly converged on the campus. Dozens of students allegedly witnessed the fall, but district officials have so far declined to comment on the incident, the News Press story reads. 

The Sheriff's Station advises parents to report to the football field at Altura and Ramsdell avenues.

Check back on Patch for further developments.