A young woman died instantly after falling from a hotel balcony while on spring break at South Padre Island . Nereida Cruz , 21 , had only been able to legally drink for 12 days before the incident on the seventh floor of the Padre South Hotel near the southern tip of Texas . Alcohol is not believed to be a factor in her death at around 9am Wednesday morning , according to Cameron County judge Bennie Ochoa . Nereida Cruz , 21 , was killed instantly after falling from a seventh story balcony at a South Padre Island hotel . She had just turned the legal drinking age on March 6 . Alcohol is not believed to be a factor in the death of Cruz , who traveled to the popular spring break destination with five friends . He said the death appeared to be accidental . 'It is believed that she was perched on the balcony wall , kind of resting and moved to adjust herself and slipped and fell to her death , ' South Padre Island police chief Randy Smith told KVEO . The young woman and five friends were at the beachfront hotel for their holiday . Cruz was from Los Fresnos , only about 20 miles west of her vacation spot . Other guests at the hotel described the 'heartbreaking ' scene when the young woman 's family were crying in the hotel lobby after Cruz 's death . Witnesses said that she was adjusting herself on the balcony ledge when she slipped , fell and received injuries to her head . She turned 21 on March 6 , according to ValleyCentral.com . It is believed that the 21-year-old was trying to adjust herself on the balcony ledge when she slipped and fell . Texas Southmost College posted on Facebook that they were 'deeply saddened ' by the news of their former student 's death . She had studied nursing . An autopsy will be performed in nearby Harlingen . The death is the second in less than a week for the island , a popular spring break destination for Texans . Ruben Diaz , 24 , of Katy , Texas , was found dead of unknown causes at a private residence on South Padre on Saturday . The young man suffered from seizures and foul play was not expected , the Houston Chronicle reported . The incident is the second spring break death in less than a week for South Padre Island ( pictured , file photo )
Nereida wells , 21 , of Los ##dale , Texas , died instantly after fall . experts say she adjusted herself on balance before slipping . Death is second spring without falling in less than a week on the ledge .