Eight-year-old boy dies after statue falls on him at Arizona Biltmore resort

PHOENIX – An 8-year-old boy in Arizona died after part of a large concrete statue fell and struck him at a historic hotel, officials said.

Firefighters responded to the Arizona Biltmore resort around on Nov. 27 around 9 a.m. after receiving reports of an injured child at the hotel located northeast of downtown Phoenix.

The boy was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead the next day. The primary cause of death was complications of blunt force trauma to the head, according to the Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office.

Capt. Todd Keller with the Phoenix Fire Department said part of the concrete statue fell on the boy, resulting in a head injury. It is unclear what caused the statue to fall and whether the child was with a parent or guardian. Officials said foul play was not involved.

"We are deeply saddened by the incident that occurred at the hotel earlier this morning," the hotel said in a statement sent to The Arizona Republic, part of the USA TODAY Network. "Our top priority is the safety and security of our guests, and our thoughts are with the family impacted by today's events."

Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation: 'We are deeply saddened'

The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, which is dedicated to preserving Wright’s work and educating the public about the architect’s contributions, expressed sadness over the death at the Arizona Biltmore, which was influenced by Wright’s architectural style.

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“The news about the passing of the child at the Biltmore is truly heartbreaking,” Henry Hendrix, chief marketing officer for the foundation, said in a statement. “We are deeply saddened by this tragic accident, and our heartfelt condolences are with the family during this unimaginably difficult time.”

“Please know that we share in the sorrow of this moment and hold everyone affected close in our hearts as they navigate this unimaginable loss,” the statement continued.

The statue that struck the boy was a “sprite,” a depiction of a mythical being meant to serve as a guardian over the land. According to the Arizona Biltmore website, the property has 19 sprite statues.

In his statement, Hendrix said the sprites at the Biltmore are replicas of designs at Wright’s Midway Gardens project in Chicago, which was built in 1914 and demolished in 1929. The statues at the Biltmore were created in the mid-1980s and gifted to the Biltmore in 1988. They are not considered historic artifacts and are not subjects of historic preservation.