Housekeeper trapped in billionaire's elevator for 3 days

Hope Schreiber
·Writer
A 53-year-old housekeeper was stuck in an elevator for three days in New York City. (Photo: Google Maps)
A 53-year-old housekeeper was stuck in an elevator for three days in New York City. (Photo: Google Maps)

A 53-year-old woman, who has been identified by the BBC as Marites Fortaliza, spent three days trapped in an elevator at a Manhattan townhouse owned by investment banker Warren Stephens.

Fortaliza, who works for the banker’s family, was rescued by firefighters Monday morning after they received a 911 call. She was taken to the hospital and has been released. Though the New York City Fire Department couldn’t confirm when she became stuck between the second and third floors, it is believed she had been held there “over the weekend,” with Fortaliza saying she had been trapped since Friday.

The family told the Associated Press that Fortaliza was dehydrated but stable when she was taken to Weill Cornell Medical Center.

A family member accompanied Fortaliza — who was described as a “valued member of the Stephens extended family for 18 years” — to the hospital. The family was not home over the weekend, and no one else was there while she was working.

The 1920 townhouse is owned by Stephens and his wife, according to the AP. In a statement to NBC 4 New York, Stephens’s firm said, “The cause of this unfortunate incident is being investigated and appropriate measures will be taken to ensure that something like this never happens again.”

An investigation is underway. As of now, authorities do not know if the elevator had an emergency button or if the housekeeper had a cellphone.

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