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 and claim he would never have killed himself.
15-year-old Tyler Mason died at around 11.30pm on March 14 after falling from the balcony of the Meriton Suites hotel in Parramatta, in Sydney’s west.
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 had about three drinks over five hours, but just before 10pm he became seriously unwell, began frothing at the mouth and was unable to walk or talk properly.
He fell from the balcony 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 at around 11.30pm on March 14 after falling from the 35th floor balcony of the Meriton Suites hotel in Parramatta, western Sydney.
Tyler is seen dancing with a girlfriend at the party the night of his death
He was then seen dancing and singing along to Eminem’s Without Me with a girlfriend.
A police investigation into the incident, which was initially ruled a suicide, is ongoing.
Tyler’s aunt, nurse Jo-Ellen Hall, claimed he would never have committed suicide.
“There’s no way it could have been suicide,” she told Daily Mail Australia.
“It’s 100 percent clear that this boy couldn’t jump off the balcony.”
Ms Hall said she had been in regular contact with her nephew after his mother’s death in a single car crash in February.
Tyler’s mother struggled with drug addiction and he had been placed in foster care.
Tyler fell to his death at the Meriton Suites in Parramatta (above)
Tyler had filmed himself excitedly in the elevator to the hotel room on March 14
The teenager is pictured with his mother who died in a car accident in February
Ms Hall said her cousin had tried to sabotage his placement in foster care because he just wanted to be with his mother.
He was reported missing in August last year. Ms Hall said he was on the run and understood he was living with his mother at the time.
At the time of his death, Tyler was in the care of the Big Brown House, an organization that helps vulnerable children and families.
“I put on my nurse’s cap and said, ‘We need to talk about Mom, how are you feeling?’ and he said, ‘I’m fine, I knew this would happen,'” Ms Hall said.
“I said, ‘You wouldn’t do anything crazy, would you?’ and Tyler said, “Oh no Aunt Jo, only weak people commit suicide.”
Mrs. Hall heard about Tyler’s death early in the morning after he fell from the balcony.
Since then, she has called police nearly 60 times to get answers about her cousin’s death.
‘If it was suicide, I wouldn’t do this. There is no part of me that thinks it was suicide, none at all,” she said.
Tyler’s aunt claims he would never have committed suicide
Timeline of tragedy
On the night of his death, Tyler filmed himself riding the elevator to the 35th floor.
‘Do you know where I am? Meriton Suites, my boy!’ He said, happy and excited about the night.
Tyler was in the hotel room with five others. One was 18 years old. The minors had to register at reception.
When Tyler began to feel unwell around 10pm, a call was made to an adult family friend.
That friend arrived at the Meriton, but when no one came out of the room to let him in, he left the room.
As Tyler’s condition continued to worsen throughout the night, he began vomiting, was stripped naked and put into a shower.
About 11 p.m., Tyler was carried to a couch in the hotel room to lie down.
One of the teenagers in the room reportedly brandished a knife while the group was understood to be arguing and shouting loudly at each other.
About half an hour later, Tyler fell from the balcony.
At approximately 11:34 p.m., the family friend received a second call, prompting the adult to rush back to the hotel.
A call was made to Triple Zero just before midnight.
Mrs. Hall believes Tyler may have overdosed on drugs, although this has not been verified.
She said that as far as she knew, the other teens in the hotel room have yet to be formally questioned by police and appear to have been “keeping a low profile” since the incident.
The teenager who allegedly brandished the knife fled the scene after Tyler’s fall 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 few weeks after Tyler’s death, his family tried to come to terms with the fact that he had allegedly committed suicide.
“But after the funeral, things came out about why he was naked and why was he foaming at the mouth?” said Mrs. Hall.
“We have videos of him happily dancing and singing.”
Tyler was known to police and had served time in juvenile detention, his aunt said.
Ms Hall claims that after his mother died, the teenager turned his life around and returned to school.
He had a 9pm curfew at the Big Brown House, and the organization reportedly called the police when he didn’t return.
Ms Hall has said she calls police almost every day to speak to the officer in charge of the investigation, but claims she is repeatedly ignored.
“Like I’m doing this for fun,” she said.
A coroner’s report is expected later this month. The coroner will then decide whether an investigation should be held.
NSW Police said they do not comment on cases before the coroner and were not answering specific questions relating to the case.
The Meriton Hotel said assistance had been provided to police in their investigation, but could not comment further.
The Big Brown House has been contacted for comment.
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