Fact Check: No — A Mother Did Not Find Her Son Plastinated in Las Vegas’ Real Bodies Exhibit

Fact Check: Mother Did Not Find Son Plastinated in Las Vegas Exhibit

Claim: A viral social post says the mother of Christopher Todd Erick discovered her deceased son plastinated and on display at the Real Bodies exhibit in Las Vegas.

Verdict

False. The Real Bodies specimen cited in the posts has been on display in Las Vegas since 2004, according to the exhibit operator, while Christopher Todd Erick died in 2012 and was later cremated. The exhibit’s operator also says the specimens were sourced from China and are biologically unidentifiable.

What the exhibit operator says

“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.” — Imagine Exhibitions, Nov. 14, 2025

The Real Bodies exhibit, operated by Imagine Exhibitions and currently at the Horseshoe Casino in Las Vegas, displays plastinated human specimens provided by Dalian Hoffen Bio‑Technique Co. Ltd. The company’s public FAQ states the specimens were unclaimed bodies donated to Chinese medical universities, legally obtained, free of infectious disease, without signs of trauma, and not prisoners.

Timeline and why the claim is impossible

• Specimen in question: on display in Las Vegas since 2004 (Imagine Exhibitions).
• Christopher Todd Erick: died in 2012 and was subsequently cremated.
• Because the exhibit predates Erick’s death by several years, the viral claim cannot be true.

About Christopher Todd Erick’s death

Erick was found deceased at his grandmother’s home in Midlothian, Texas. The amended death certificate lists cyanide toxicity as the cause of death, with an anomalous coronary artery and aortic dissection noted as underlying conditions. The medical examiner ruled the manner of death undetermined. Media coverage at the time included CBS News stories in August 2014 reporting that a grand jury declined to indict anyone in his death. Erick’s mother, Kim Erick Smith, has publicly questioned the investigation and compiled a report in 2016 outlining her concerns; that report acknowledged that his body was cremated.

How the false story spread

A version of the claim circulated as a Facebook post on Nov. 6, 2025, in the group “Weird, Strange and Interesting Things.” The image text read: “A mother found her son years after his death as part of a museum exhibit. She is now fighting to bring him home.” That post appears to have been shared widely as a screenshot.

Conclusion

The claim that Erick’s mother discovered her son plastinated in the Real Bodies exhibit is demonstrably false. Exhibit records and the operator’s statement place the specimen on display years before Erick’s death, and Erick’s remains were cremated. There is no evidence linking Erick to any specimen in the show.

If you encounter this claim on social media, treat it skeptically and check exhibit timelines and official statements before sharing.