Updated: 2:57 p.m. Monday, March 23, 2009 | Posted: 11:21 a.m. Sunday, March 22, 2009
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. —
"Scared me to death, I mean how could that happen," said tourist Nancy Wood.
Investigators said Barret Ugland of Minnesota was on vacation with his family. They were staying on the 24th floor of the Ocean Walk Resort.
IMAGES: Boy Falls 24 Stories
Police said the teenager woke up early Sunday morning to see the sunrise over the ocean. He couldn't get a good view from his balcony, so he stacked chairs, stood on top, slipped and fell.
"I wanted to cry, I didn't even know him or anything, but it was really sad because he was just a kid, he didn't even mean to do it," said vacationer Britany Raines.
Raines said she saw the teenager's body after he landed in the parking lot. Later in the day, she and her friends also saw his devastated family in the hotel.
"They looked pretty torn up, but we didn't want to say anything to them because we already knew they were going through stuff. So we just left," she said.
Ugland's school district in Minnesota released a photograph of the 10th grader who was active in sports. A hotel spokeswoman said the boy's family returned home.
"Oh I feel sorry for them, if it was my child, I don't know what I would do," said tourist Rachel Davis.
On Monday afternoon, the death was ruled "accidental" by the Medical Examiner.
The hotel said it can't comment on the details of the fall since it's under investigation, but said thoughts were with the family during the tragedy.