Museum Responds After Mom Explains Why She Believes Her Son's 'Skinned' Body Is In An Exhibit

A museum has spoken out after a mother claimed that a body shown in one of its exhibits was actually her son. Her reaction came after seeing the display and feeling certain she recognized him.

Kim Erick said she felt a sudden chill when she visited the Real Bodies exhibition in Las Vegas and noticed a displayed figure that looked strikingly similar to her son, Chris Todd Erick. The sight left her deeply shaken because the resemblance felt too close to ignore.

Chris died at the age of 23 back in 2012, and at the time, authorities listed his death as a suicide.

At first, it had been suspected that he suffered two heart attacks while sleeping at his grandmother’s home due to an undetected heart condition. This explanation led the family to believe his passing had been sudden and natural.

But Kim later felt uneasy about the case after requesting access to the police materials. She said the images she received included a chair fitted with straps, which raised more questions for her and pushed her to revisit everything she thought she knew.

She also shared that Chris’ father, her ex-husband, handled the arrangements because she was overwhelmed with grief at the time. She recalled being given a necklace containing a small amount of Chris’ ashes just days after his body was discovered.

Kim is adamant this is her son Change.org

However, Kim later said that there was never a traditional funeral service, which increased her doubts. This led her to contact the Midlothian Police Department for the scene photos, hoping they would bring clarity.

She claimed the photos showed that Chris’ body had bruises and lacerations, and she also said there was a noticeable layer of dry cyanide salt on his lips. These details troubled her deeply, and she pushed for further testing.

The medical examiner eventually tested a vial of his blood to address her concerns, and the results showed a lethal level of cyanide in his system. This discovery changed everything she believed about his death.

After the new results, the official cause of death was updated to cyanide toxicity. Even with this change, his death was still classified as a suicide by “undetermined means”, which left Kim with many lingering questions.

Kim has spent years trying to understand what truly happened to her son. So when she saw the exhibit in Las Vegas and believed she recognized his body, the shock hit her all over again.

She said the moment felt overwhelming because she was convinced she was looking at him.

Chris Erick died in 2012 Family Handout

The 54-year-old told The Sun: "I knew it was him. It was so unbelievably painful to look at. My words cannot describe how this shook me and my family to its core."

"I was actually looking at pictures of my son's skinned, butchered body. It is gut-wrenching."

The Real Bodies exhibit in Las Vegas told The Sun that “there is no factual basis for these allegations,” adding: "We extend our sympathy to the family, but the referenced specimen cannot be associated with the individual named in these claims."

Imagine Exhibitions, Inc., the company behind Real Bodies, also spoke to Lead Stories and said: "We extend our sympathy to the family, but there is no factual basis for these allegations. The referenced specimen has been on continuous display in Las Vegas since 2004 and cannot be associated with the individual named in these claims."

"All specimens are ethically sourced and biologically unidentifiable. We remain committed to ensuring that all exhibits meet the highest ethical and legal standards."