The heartbroken family of a teenager who plunged to his death from the 35th floor of a hotel are determined to get answers about what happened, saying he would never have taken his own life.
Tyler Mason, 15, died after falling from the balcony of the Meriton Suites hotel in Parramatta, western Sydney, at around 11.30pm on March 14.
Tyler was celebrating a friend’s 16th birthday with other teens in the suite when things took a terrifying turn.
It is understood Tyler had around three drinks in five hours, but just before 10pm he felt seriously ill, began foaming at the mouth and could not walk or talk properly.
He fell from the balcony at around 11:28 p.m.
Hours earlier he had filmed himself singing and smiling in the elevator on the way to the hotel room.
Tyler Mason, 15, died after falling from the 35th floor balcony of the Meriton Suites hotel in Parramatta, western Sydney, at around 11.30pm on March 14.
Tyler is seen dancing with a friend at the party the night of her death.
He was then seen dancing and singing Without Me by Eminem with a friend.
The police investigation remains ongoing into the incident, which was initially ruled a suicide.
Tyler’s aunt, mental health nurse Jo-Ellen Hall, claimed he would never have taken his own life.
“There’s no way it could have been a suicide,” he told Daily Mail Australia.
“It is 100 percent clear that this child was not capable of jumping from the balcony.”
Hall said he had visited his nephew regularly after his mother died in a car accident in February.
Tyler’s mother had struggled with drug addiction and he had been placed in foster care.
Tyler died after falling from the Meriton Suites in Parramatta (above)
Tyler had filmed himself excitedly riding the elevator to his hotel room on March 14.
The teenager is pictured with his mother, who died in a car accident in February.
Hall said his nephew had tried to sabotage his foster care placement because he just wanted to be with his mother.
He was reported missing in August of last year. Hall said he was on the run and that he understood he was living with his mother at the time.
At the time of his death, Tyler was under the care of Big Brown House, which is an organization that helps vulnerable children and families.
“I put on my nurse’s hat and said, ‘We need to talk about mom, how are you feeling?’ and he said, ‘I’m fine, I knew this would happen,'” Mrs Hall said.
“I said, ‘You wouldn’t do anything stupid, would you?’ and Tyler said, ‘Oh no, Aunt Jo, only weak people commit suicide.’
Mrs. Hall learned of Tyler’s death early in the morning after he fell from the balcony.
Since then, she has called police nearly 60 times trying to get answers about her nephew’s death.
‘If it was suicide, I wouldn’t be doing this. “There is no part of me that thinks it was suicide, absolutely none,” she said.
Tyler’s aunt says he would never have taken his own life
Chronology of the tragedy
The night of his death, Tyler filmed himself riding the elevator to the 35th floor.
‘Do you know where I am? Meriton Suites, boy! he said, looking happy and excited for the night.
Tyler was with five other people in the hotel room. One of them was 18 years old. Minors had to register at reception.
When Tyler began to feel unwell around 10 p.m., a call was made to an adult family friend.
That friend arrived at Meriton but since no one came down from the room to let him in, he left the premises.
As Tyler’s condition progressively worsened throughout the night, he began vomiting, and was stripped naked and put in the shower.
At approximately 11 p.m., Tyler was taken to a couch in the hotel room to lie down.
One of the teenagers in the room allegedly brandished a knife while the group is understood to have argued and shouted loudly at each other.
About half an hour later, Tyler fell from the balcony.
A second call was made to the family friend at around 11:34 p.m., and the adult ran back to the hotel.
Shortly before midnight a call was made to Triple Zero.
Ms Hall believes Tyler may have suffered a drug overdose, although this has not been verified.
She said that, as far as she knew, the other teens in the hotel room have not yet been formally interviewed by police and appear to be “keeping a low profile” since the incident.
The teenager who allegedly brandished the knife fled the scene after Tyler fell as they were subject to a court-ordered curfew, Daily Mail Australia understands.
A report on Tyler’s death is being prepared for the coroner.
In the first weeks after Tyler’s death, his family was trying to come to terms with the fact that he had supposedly taken his own life.
“But after the funeral things started coming out about why he was naked and why he was foaming at the mouth.” said Mrs. Hall.
“We have videos of him dancing and singing happily.”
Tyler was known to police and had spent time in a juvenile detention center, his aunt said.
Hall claims that after his mother died, the teenager turned his life around and returned to school.
He had a 9pm curfew at Big Brown House, and it is understood the organization called the police when he did not return.
Hall has said she has been calling police almost every day trying to speak to the officer in charge of the investigation, but claims she is repeatedly ignored.
“Like I’m doing this for fun,” he said.
A report will be submitted to the coroner later this month. The coroner will then decide whether an inquest should be held.
New South Wales Police said it does not comment on matters before the coroner and did not answer specific questions related to the case.
The Meriton Hotel said police had been assisted with their investigations but could not comment further.
Big Brown House has been contacted for comment.
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