Chief Inspector Scott Small says a 30-foot-long branch fell on the woman from 50 feet above. He says she was killed instantly.

Police say it's possible the unidentified woman didn't hear the branch breaking because she was wearing a portable music player, which was still playing when they arrived.

Last week, a Manhattan computer engineer walking to work through Central Park was hit on the head by a 100-pound rotted tree branch. His mother said over the weekend he was getting better.