The book – released on 25 April 2026
Description:
On 16 November 2014, Laura Vanessa Nunes died after falling from the At the Top SKY observation deck on the 148th floor of the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world. Her death was never reported by local or international media.
In the hours that followed, an official narrative was put in place. Communications between Dubai Police and the Portuguese Vice Consulate marked the beginning of a silence that would endure for years.
This book tells Laura’s story — her life, her vulnerabilities, and her unrequited love for a man referred to here as Youssef* — a relationship that would ultimately contribute to her emotional collapse and suicide. It traces the events leading up to her death and examines what happened afterwards, within a system where political authority, corporate power, and law enforcement are tightly interwoven.
At its centre is a mother’s search for answers. Caught between grief and determination, Laura’s mother embarked on a relentless pursuit of the truth. With the support of three highly respected investigative journalists, Laura’s death was brought into the public domain, only to be met with denials from the Dubai Police and scepticism from other journalists.
An appendix presents documented evidence exposing false statements and acts of disinformation attributed to the authorities, allowing readers to examine the facts for themselves.
Preface:
Considering the “controversy” surrounding my daughter’s death, I have put together this book of evidence supporting both the location of her death and where she had been staying at the time of her death.
It contains the most relevant piece of evidence issued by the Government of Dubai – the Medical Forensic Report on Laura’s death – and traces the chain of events that followed.
The Medical Forensic Report records:
“Upon the request of senior prosecutor Ahmed Ibrahim Al Hammadi, as included in the letter issued by the action chief of Bur Dubai Police Station under No. 240857/34/2/3151 dated 17/11/2014, I, the expert, Dr. Hazem Mitwali Sharif, the coroner of Dubai Police, carried out the external anatomic examination on the body of the deceased.”
The report also records that the coroner attended the scene following a call from the Dubai Police Operations Office and observed the deceased at a location identified as the Burj Khalifa on 16 November 2014.
The “controversy” was created after the Medical Forensic Report, signed by the coroner of Dubai Police, and issued by the Government of Dubai on 18 November, was disputed six months later by Dubai Police on 18 May 2015, after their cover-up had been exposed. The dispute served to create a smokescreen.
This book is two books in one.
My journey with Laura, before and after her death.
A documentary record of irrefutable evidence.
For over eleven years I have wrestled with writing this book, each attempt ending in failure. As time passed, I came to believe it was necessary to document the truth for the world to see. The Government of Dubai worked hard to conceal Laura’s death at the Burj Khalifa, and I believe they will work just as hard to keep it hidden.
This book is a witness to the truth, and to justice.
For you Laura.
Laura Vanessa Nunes 