PHOENIX — 8-year-old Luke Linnett was a student at Walnut Hills Elementary in Waukee.
He and his family traveled to Arizona during the Thanksgiving holiday where he was crushed by a statue at the Arizona Biltmore Resort and later died.
At around 9 a.m. Wednesday Nov. 27, the Phoenix Fire Department responded to a call saying a child had been injured at the Arizona Biltmore Resort.
Captain Todd Keller with the Phoenix Fire Department said the 8-year-old boy, later identified as Luke Linnett, was crushed by a statue located on the resort's property.
"Crews arrived on the scene and found an eight-year-old male with a head injury...bit of a chaotic scene when they got in, but these firefighters managed the scene. They managed the incident, got the patient to the hospital." Keller said.
Authorities are unsure why the statue fell.
Luke died the following day on Thursday Nov. 28 from blunt force trauma, according to the medical examiner.
The statue designed by Frank Lloyd Wright is called the "Sprite Garden Sculptures" The one that fell on Luke was located near the entrance to the hotel.
"It does look like they're concrete, cement structures," Captain Keller said.
The Arizona Biltmore recently changed ownership, and the current owner shared a statement:
"We are deeply saddened to learn of the family's loss and extend our heartfelt condolences.... 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."
Dennis Wilenchik is the attorney representing the Linnett family, and is in the process of investigating the fatal incident. He said the family is grieving Luke's loss along with his father who died from cancer a few years ago.
"There is simply no excuse or explanation for such a tragedy," Wilenchik said in a statement. "And although we understand no one intended this result, it should have been foreseeable and expected."
Local 5 reached out to Walnut Hills Elementary which shared the following statement:
"Luke was a cherished member of our community, and his loss has been profoundly felt by all. Our grief response team has provided support to students and staff, with counselors from across our District offering assistance at Walnut Hills Elementary. Our thoughts continue to be with the family as they cope with this heartbreaking loss."