A recent police report revealed details surrounding the tragic Thanksgiving Day death of 8-year-old Luke Linnett at the Arizona Biltmore Resort in Phoenix.
The incident occurred on November 27, when Luke was struck by a falling piece of concrete from a statue on the resort grounds. The statue, part of a collection designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, was not secured at its base, causing it to tip over and land on Luke, resulting in fatal head injuries.
Luke, who had been playing with his sister in a grassy area near the statue, was rushed to the hospital and underwent emergency surgery but passed away the next day, on Thanksgiving. Police confirmed that the incident was accidental, and no foul play was suspected.
The investigation was closed after the medical examiner concluded that the cause of death was blunt force trauma, consistent with the police findings.
The statue that fell was one of a series of 19 sprite statues on the resort grounds, which were replicas of designs inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright’s Midway Gardens project. The statues were gifted to the hotel in 1988, and an inspection revealed that the statue that fell, along with a nearby one, was not properly attached to its base.
The Linnett family, who had checked into the resort the day before the accident, expressed their grief following the tragedy. Luke, who had a competitive spirit and was active in sports, is remembered fondly by his family. His mother, Lauren, siblings, and extended family are mourning his loss.