8-year-old boy dies after statue falls on him at upscale resort, Arizona cops say
.png "A concrete statue of a sprite fell on a child at the Arizona Biltmore resort on Nov. 27. He died the next day, police said.")
An 8-year-old boy died a day after he was struck by a falling statue at a luxury resort in Arizona, police and news outlets reported.
Authorities responded at about 8:45 a.m. Nov. 27 to the Arizona Biltmore and found the child injured, the Phoenix Police Department said in a news release.
The boy was taken to the hospital in critical condition and died the next day on Thanksgiving, police said.
Phoenix Fire Department Capt. Todd Keller told Arizona Family the child was hit by a concrete statue.
“We don’t know what caused this. We don’t know what was going on before,” Keller told Fox 10.
Police said there were no signs of foul play.
The Arizona Biltmore has 19 “Solemn Sprite” statues that watch over the resort, according to the resort’s website.
The mythological beings “symbolize the protection of the earth and its abundance.”
They were designed in collaboration with famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright and artist Alfonso Ianelli in 1914.
“The news about the passing of the child at the Biltmore is truly heartbreaking,” the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation’s chief marketing officer, Henry Hendrix, said in a statement to The Arizona Republic.
“We are deeply saddened by this tragic accident, and our heartfelt condolences are with the family during this unimaginably difficult time,” Hendrix said.
The Arizona Biltmore released a statement to McClatchy News on Dec. 4:
“We are deeply saddened to learn of the family’s loss and extend our heartfelt condolences. We wish them peace and respect their right to privacy during this difficult time. Our commitment to providing a safe and secure environment for our guests is paramount and we continue to cooperate fully with all authorities investigating this incident.”
This story was originally published December 4, 2024 at 9:01 AM.
