An 8-year-old boy is in critical condition after the Solemn Sprite statue near the entrance to the Arizona Biltmore resort collapsed on Wednesday, according to multiple reports.
The boy suffered serious head injuries and was transported to a local hospital by Phoenix Fire Chief Todd Keller. said 12 News. The cause of the statue's toppling is under investigation, but there is “no indication of foul play,” Phoenix Police Department (PPD) said in a statement. I wrote said in a statement to the Telegraph.
An 8-year-old boy is in critical condition after a statue toppled over at the Biltmore Resort in Arizona on Wednesday, authorities said. https://t.co/PGptpW5iVx
— 12 News (@12News) November 28, 2024
“Our top priority is the safety of our guests, and our thoughts are with the families affected by today's events,” Arizona Biltmore Resort said in a statement to 12News.
Designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright, these statues “embody the spirit of Gaia, the personification of Earth” and serve as guardians who “watch over the land where the Biltmore River rests.” According to Go to the resort website. “Solemn Sprite” was originally designed for Midway Gardens in Chicago, but was relocated to a farm in Wisconsin when the venue was demolished. They were given to Biltmore in 1985. (Related: SUV crashes into San Francisco bus stop, killing 3 people, injuring 1 child, police say)
The Arizona Biltmore opened in 1929 and quickly became known as the “Jewel of the Desert,” a popular getaway for the day's leading figures. Resort website added. Albert Chase MacArthur, the resort's designer and the brother of its founder, envisioned the resort as a way to establish Arizona as a tourist destination.
The Daily Caller reached out to Phoenix police for comment, but did not receive a response by press time.
