A tragic accident at the Arizona Biltmore resort in Phoenix has resulted in the death of an 8-year-old boy. The incident occurred on Wednesday, November 27, when a statue fell on the child. Despite immediate medical attention and being rushed to Phoenix Children's Hospital in extremely critical condition, the boy succumbed to his injuries the following day, on Thanksgiving.
The Phoenix Fire Department responded to the incident at the upscale resort located near 24th Street and Camelback Road. Video footage from the scene showed a broken statue that had fallen outside the resort. Phoenix Fire Capt. Todd Keller confirmed that the child had been struck by a "concrete object."
The statues at the Arizona Biltmore are made of concrete, weigh hundreds of pounds, and stand nearly six feet on pedestals. It remains unclear how the statue fell from its pedestal and what secured the statues to their bases. Investigators are currently seeking surveillance video and questioning representatives from the Arizona Biltmore to determine the cause of the accident.
Phoenix police have called the incident a "tragic accident" and stated that there are no signs of foul play. The child's name has not been released. The Arizona Biltmore expressed its condolences in a statement, saying, "Our top priority is the safety of our guests, and our thoughts are with the family impacted."