2-year-old who fell to his death at Lakers game had crawled out of parents' sight

The parents of a 2-year-old who died after plunging 50 feet from a Staples Center luxury suite had lost sight of their son and were searching for him when they learned he had fallen, said sources familiar with the investigation.

The boy, Lucas Anthony Tang, had been crawling around the suite during the Lakers' game against the Golden State Warriors, sources said. At some point, his parents noticed he was missing and began to look for him.

They did not know then that their son, who would have turned 3 in January, had fallen. Witnesses at the game told The Times that the boy was moving his arms, legs and head before paramedics took him out on a stretcher.

A spokesman for AEG, the company that manages Staples Center, said he had no comment at this time.

The death is being investigated by the LAPD's abused-child unit, a standard practice that officials said does not necessarily mean a crime has been committed.

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Boy hurt in fall from Staples Center luxury suite after Lakers game

-- Andrew Blankstein and Kate Linthicum

Photo: A security guard, top, looks down from where a young boy fell to where a second guard stands after the Lakers' game against the Golden State Warriors at Staples Center on Sunday night. Credit: Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press

Comments

[Kwon]

To the people who say that the parents should be punished.. what kind of animal are you??? These people lost their child at their own hands and you think they should suffer further? Wow, are you kidding me?! The cruelty of this world is limitless. These people must be going through the worst pain anyone could go through and the guilt may never leave them. I just hope other parents learn from this.

[Jess]

The private suites at Staples Center are pretty safe. They are like little living rooms. Even I would feel fine taking a child to a game if it was in a suite. But you turn your back for a second and the worst happens. Devastating. I can't imagine what the parents felt when they were looking for their child and then found him laying dead after a 50ft fall on what was supposed to be a family fun day watching a Laker game.

[rmitchel]

How very sad. I would not be surprised if the youngster, who had been separated from his parents, was frantically looking for his parents when during the excitement and exhilaration of the Lakers’ win, he was accidentally bumped over the lower wall by a fan. You don’t bring a two year old to a game unless you really are a loving family unit. It is so easy to get a baby sitter and save money. Although it is routine to investigate deaths, I pray that no charges are filed. Isn’t the loss of a child haunting enough for life? My prayers are with the family.

[raymond]

My condolences.

A very tragic story.

[Goodfellapmc]

It is completely irrational to send a parent to jail for an ACCIDENT. They didn't push their kid off the edge. Accidents happen and it is tragic that they lost their child. It is obvious that they should have been paying closer attention, but this accident by no means constitutes criminal accusations.

They have already paid for their negligence, their child is dead. I think thats enough punishment in itself.

[Frank Robles]

Only a couple of comments have touched on another really important issue here and that's high places that don't afford much protection. Just about every stadium in this country has high places where people can and have fallen. Ever had reason to be stopped on top of a freeway bridge that's 8 or 9 stories high with just a 3 foot guardrail. People crash and fall off the top of these more often than you might think. People need to be aware of their surroundings and take appropriate action to protect themselves.

This was a tragedy that could have been prevented.

My prayers go out to Lucas and his parents.

[Trevan McClure]

Judgment is meaningless because no one but the parents and the child were there when this happened; nothing different could have happened, or else it would have. Realistically this article should never been posted; this was an issue that had no place being publicized. As many have stated already: the parents have suffered enough

[Jared]

To the idiots who say the parents should be jailed:

Can you even imagine the pain they must be in from having their toddler die? Yes, it might have been slightly neglectful not knowing where their child was at all times, BUT, do you really think it's reasonable for them to lose a beloved child and on top of it spend time in jail? It was an accident. An awful, awful accident. Have some sympathy.

[Michelle]

R.I.P to Lucas who fell 50 feet.
My condolences go to his family. But I do agree that it was Parental Supervision at fault and possibly the parents were distracted for a moment . I dont think The Staples Center is at fault for the child falling. You enter stadiums at your own risk. Who would imagine that a two year old would fall 50 feet from a skybox suite. The parents of this child should have been more aware of where their child was. I am not a parent but i am an aunt and have friends whom have kids and i always lookout of where my niece and nephews are also my friends kids. Parents should be cautious. This was an ACCIDENT. Therefore, i do not think parents were practicing neglect. Parents make sure to watch your children dont think because you are in a suite your children are completely safe.

[Clipper Dad]

As a parent who has taken his two year olds to Stapples for a Cliper game once, I recognize that danger is not something you think about when buying those tickets but it becomes evident once you seat in the bleachers and look down for the first time.
I chose never to take my kids to a game until they were older and more mature (12 at least).
My son too is named Lucas..... I'm sorry for your loss.
The loss of your child is the greatest punishment you can ever live with.

[chriso]

This is why you do not bring children to sporting events. Especially when you are in a sky box suite. Hate to say it but the parents should feel terrible. How do you lose sight of your two year old son???!!! Idiots

[unanimous]

This comment is directed to schlock: why should the Lakers and Staples Center be sued? Is he the only 2 year old to ever be up in a luxury box since the Lakers have been playing in the building? No. Come on, don't make the parents negligence and this accident become about making money. If every infant that is not watched by their parents drops to their death at every game, THEN you may have a point.

[TD]

This is so sad, I have a 1yo that I take places...cause I like having him around and he loves being around people. Those luxury boxes have doors to the hallway, so I can see how they thought he'd be safe wondering around. (Was he really CRAWLING?? I mean, he's almost 3!) It is one of those things where you think everything is safe enough...he hasn't put his finger in the socket...yet.

I hope nobody overreacts to either side, but that everyone learns from this.

[jas]

I was at the game last night. What an absolute stomach-turning tragedy. Obviously, no one knows the exact details of what occurred yet... but for those of you casting full blame on the parents, it is worth mentioning that the Luxury Suites at Staples Center are all completely contained private rooms with a front section of seats that have a high barrier wall or glass partition on all sides. Having attended many Lakers games with my children in these very suites, I can say that there typically isn't a safer place for a 2 year old in the entire stadium; a place where even an overprotective dad like myself would feel comfortable not watching a small toddler every waking moment. I would, without question, worry much more about my 5 year old in that situation who could theoretically climb on the partitions, etc.. But I would feel very safe in letting my 2 year old wander around in that closed off space as the walls and partitions are much too high for her to climb onto. Clearly, something is amiss here and, unfortunately, the only scenarios that seem plausible here are that someone was lifting or had lifted the child up onto the barrier wall...or this particular suite had a structural feature - perhaps a railing - that differs from all of the others.
In any case, deepest sympathies to the Tang Family.

[Brainiac]

The boy should have been in bed at that hour. I have a 2-year-old and would never consider it appropriate to bring him to a pro sports event. How fun could it possibly be for him? If you can't find or afford a nanny, you (parents) should stay at home and watch the game on TV. Don't force your child to adapt to your playboy lifestyle. That's the lesson to be learned from this unspeakable tragedy.

[Father of Two]

It's incredibly sad. I sympathize with the parents and family and I would never wish this type of loss upon them, but… there's no excuse for losing track of their crawling/climbing fully ambulatory 2-3 year old. They were in a luxury box, presumably in a large group, where there were several other people and possibly other adults. Everyone there had a responsibility to watch the boy.

[Dave]

Saddest story I've heard today. The parents must be devastated. I am so sorry.

[Deborah]

The parents are DEFINITELY suffering enough. Kids DO NOT belong at those games. At least toddlers do not. Please leave your kids at home so you can enjoy the game and they're not in harm's way. So sad.

[Randy]

@Kwon...we who think the parents should be punished are not animals...they are for not keeping an eye on their kid...a child's death due to the blatant NEGLECT of his parents is legally defined as criminally neglegent homicide.

[nichole]

I feel sad for the parents. At the same time, I hope that they do not try to sue the Lakers or the Staples Center, because this was their fault. They should have been watching their child. It would be sad if the parents are prosecuted for this. But at the same time,they need to be an example that it is not ok to leave your child unattended.

[Howard Hudeck]

My prayers to this little boys family.

[Sorry]

Inresponsible parents. At this point it is worthless to blame them especially because they are grieving right now. However, they should know that it is their fault for not keeping an eye on their child. Yes, I know that it is impossible to keep an eye on them all the time BUT...HELLO! you are at a place where parents SHOULD keep their eyes on their children (especially young once) ALL THE TIME...

I am so sorry for this tragic event...

[d]

its staples center!! adults are going to have 100% eyes on the LAKERS and not a little 2yr old... tragic story and we know they'll blame staple center for having enough security in place so one doesn't fall off railings.

[scott hamilton]

Sad to see an event like this happen. Once again parents are never aware of what their children are doing. Goes for any parent with a kid!!

[apolitical]

There is nothing more important than viewing an LA Lakers game from a luxury suite. The parents never took their eye from the ball.

We have a society that is enamored with the absurdity of celebrity when they need to be enamored with their kids. I'm not as compassionate as some. Sorry.