What was meant to be a relaxing Easter getaway turned into an unimaginable nightmare for one family in Italy after a 12-year-old boy died in a horrifying hot tub accident.
Matteo Brandimarti was enjoying a holiday with his parents at the Duca di Montefeltro Hotel in the quiet town of Pennabilli, near Rimini, when tragedy struck on Easter Sunday. Around 10:30 a.m., the young boy entered the hotel’s spa area with his family, but moments later, everything went horribly wrong.
According to reports, Matteo became trapped in a jacuzzi when the powerful hydromassage system suddenly sucked his leg into a filter nozzle. The force pinned him underwater, leaving him unable to break free.
In a desperate race against time, Matteo remained submerged for nearly five minutes before hotel staff were able to shut off the power and disable the pump. By the time they pulled him out, he was in critical condition.
Emergency responders rushed to the scene and immediately began CPR. Miraculously, they were able to restart his heart before airlifting him to a nearby hospital. But the damage had already been done.
Doctors placed Matteo on life support, but after days of fighting for his life, the devastating news came on April 9—he had been declared brain dead after suffering severe oxygen deprivation.
Authorities say the prolonged time underwater led to cardiac arrest and catastrophic brain damage caused by hypoxia.
As the family grapples with the loss, they have made the heartbreaking decision to donate Matteo’s organs, according to their lawyer, Umberto Gramenzi.
Meanwhile, prosecutors have launched an investigation into involuntary manslaughter, though no suspects have been named so far. Officials are now closely examining the spa’s equipment, focusing on whether safety grilles or protective measures around the suction system were missing or defective.
The hotel’s pool and spa area have been shut down as investigators work to determine exactly what went wrong.
In the aftermath, Matteo’s father shared a photo of his son online, prompting an outpouring of grief from friends, family, and strangers alike.
“Beautiful sweet soul… may God hold you in his arms,” one commenter wrote, while another added, “So much pain is unjust.”
What began as a peaceful holiday ended in a tragedy that has left a family shattered—and raised urgent questions about safety standards in places meant for relaxation.
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