Why? This is conjecture just like what the bloggers wrote. Nobody knows for sure. These wouldn't be the first parents who didn't notice a child's suicidal tendencies, if that's what it was.

Especially the one's who said he was bullied for being gay. What a pathetic thing to speculate.

You're right NFIL. Here's some conjecture people need to ponder. The only positive thing to come out of the Sandusky debacle is public awareness about child sexual abuse of boys. Experts have known for decades that at least 1 in 6 men were molested as children. It's an absolutely terrifying experience and victims often suffer post-tramatic stress syndrome.

The mother's lame response to knowing he played "the choking game" reflects a certain level of detachment, which can often be maternal abandonment. Those are the children predators seek out to groom for sexual assualt. Something terrible happened to this boy to take his life in such a manner. Suicide or accidental death playing a "game" to momentarily take him out of a painful reality, both indicate an underlying horror he was running from. If there was bullying, that was the tip of the iceberg.

Could there have been sexual abuse? There's a 1 in 6 chance... or better.

As bad as it sounds, this is a good chance for education, specifically about the choking game. We did this all the time growing up, but we usually did it with friends. You would bend down, breathe rapidly for 30-60 seconds, and rise up as a friend would cut off your air supply around your neck, which passed you out. You fall dead weight, that is why it's critical to have a friend. You have absolutely the most wonderful and vivid dreams, but it only lasts 10-20 seconds usually. You can do it by yourself, and I did on a few occasions. The issue is when you pass out, you collapse with no control. I busted my head on a coffee table.

Girls probably don't understand, but this is the type of stuff that boys 'just do' when growing up. We also have bb-gun wars, rock fights, and other questionable activities. Boys are absolutely brutal, and curious about the most stupid stuff. I can't say what happened to this boy, either a game or suicide, but either way, keep an eye on your boys. They need guidance.

Amen!

The parents should have done more to stop this act from happening again... I'm 58 years old and remember playing this game when I was a kid, so it's not new... I did not get caught but a couple of friends did, they were using a slip knot on a rope when their mom caught them... Guess what the rope got used for next... Anyway she went around the neighborhood telling the other parents what was probably going on with the kids, we all stopped playing that game...

@Timothy1Mil: "Especially the one's who said he was bullied for being gay. What a pathetic thing to speculate."

Very true. That innocent ten year old children would have that level of sexual introspection is ridicules. But, since this entire thread is based on speculations, allow me to continue. Children who are sexually abused sometimes act out the behavior. This is one red-flag attentive parents should watch out for.

Had this boy been abused by another male, he may have acted out with other boys. This would make him a target for bullying or further abuse at school.

If the abuse occurred at home, which is the most likely, and he was tormented about it at school, he would feel hopeless with no where to turn.

Hi,

I'm just responding to the ridiculous comment on what is or isn't acceptable speculation in a case like this.

Why would "bullied for being gay" be such a pathetic conclusion for a "late breaking" news article that contained virtually no details? Given the rise of reported children suicides, it is not so unfathomable especially for what appears to be an ethnic family.

Who could possibly have guessed that a 10 year old boy was into highs induced by asphyxiation?

Keep your contempt and your personal issues out of this, Mr. Ridiculous, it serves no purpose.

Wanting to get high at ten years old. Why can't kids just be kids. At ten they should be riding their bikes, playing with cars or dolls. Parents need to be parents and guide their children.

@Eltex: "You have absolutely the most wonderful and vivid dreams, but it only lasts 10-20 seconds usually."

Those "wonderful and vivid dreams" are caused by oxygen being cut off from the brain and killing brain cells which don't regenerate. The hallucinations may only last 10-20 seconds, but the dead brain cells last a lifetime.

The police are correct. Intentional or accidental, a self induced death is suicide. Having worked in Mental Health for over 25 years, the youngest suicide I am aware of was that of a 5 year old. He took a plastic bag from the trash can and put it over his head. He, too, was playing a game. But, no one was around to pull it off or rip it open. Absolutely tragic. These young minds aren't thinking about long term consequences of their actions. They are simply impulsive. Often, with fatal results. Kind of like running into the street without looking.

What seems interesting to me is all of you parents/grandparents on here saying "i remember when we played this game so the parents should have done a better job........" Really? So did your parents suck as well?

Yes if your 10 yr old is looking to get high, there are problems in your home. Whether it be something direct like these completely speculated comments about abuse or whatever, or maybe just lack of education. Personally, I didn't grow up in the hood so I don't know what it is like at 10 yrs old to have that kind of peer pressure. I didn't get it until I was 15 and then chose to jump in full board.

All said and done though, these parents lost their little boy and just because they may not have educated him on this one subject, doesn't mean that they deserve to have some of you jack asses on here calling them bad parents or throwing out sexual abuse. Were you sexually abused when you played the game?

Folks, stop blaming the parents. You have no idea how harshly the mother scolded her son about playing this game based on her comments. Either you folks have no children or you foolish believe that your children always do everything you tell them. This game is no different that drugs, it addictive. Playing this game (assuming this is what caused his death) doesn’t mean the young man was depressed, bullied or abused. This could have just been a kid who liked the feeling the choking game gave him and did it one too many times.

It’s horrible to lose a child anyone who blames the parents doesn’t remember their childhood.

Ray Ayyelo

Why would "bullied for being gay" be such a pathetic conclusion for a "late breaking" news article that contained virtually no details?

Uhh let's see. Because there was absolutely no indication whatsoever that it was either bullying or about sexual orientation and pathetic speculation would just add fuel to baseless conjecture that serves no good but does perpetuate ignorant sterotypes.

How's that for a good reason??

Agree DiHrd! Too many are too quick to record their particular speculative theory w/o the benefit of detailed info. If you have nothing substantive to say it's often best to keep it to yourself, and so I too will shut up. Sincere condolences to the boy's parents, extended family and friends.

DiHrdLbrl-- of course people speculated about what happened. People feel horrible when a 10 year old dies. Maybe you need to get off the internet and talk to real people now and then. They're different from computers...they have emotions... had you forgotten?

Dear DiHrdLbrl:

No.

Love,

The Internet.

P.S. I did not hear about this now nor did I care. I still don't.

"Girls probably don't understand" Oh yes we do. Or at least the girls I was hanging out with the summer I turned 12. We played that game and would hypnotize each other as well, all for amusement value.

I thought that choking yourself was supposed to be a sexual high?? I can't imagine a 10 yr old doing that?? Maybe he saw his older brother doing it??

RIP young man..

Sounds plausable- I mean, at that age you don't do things "to get high" but you know what makes you feel funny (in a good or bad way)- I mean- I had a very innocent childhood (EXCELLENT MOM AND DAD!) compared to other posters it seems- but its the same thing as every kid gets into one way or another (me and my brother used to stand in place and spin under the skylight...makes you dizzy...). Perhaps the difference is my mom was paying attention and said "Hey- stop- youre gonna get dizzy and fall..."

Its a shame, but doesn't seem to be anything more deviant than a kid doing something he didn't realize was that dangerous and a parent not paying attention...

@Eltex -- Thank you very much for the detailed description of "the choking game'. Huh. A way to actually bypass the body's built-in survival drive? Interesting. I get pretty close to passing out when I do reverse backbends sometimes (yoga maneuver). When I start passing out though, I always start feeling afraid, so I always immediately bend down and try to regain full consciousness. But at times I remember completely losing motor control and sensations in major parts of my body...

What amazes me about this boy's case is that he went past the "point of no return" -- he wasn't afraid,apparently. Maybe he knew, or maybe he didn't know, what death is. And he did this all by himself. I wonder who ever invented the "choking game".

I'm not even going to speculate anything. I have children and some of the comments left here make me sick. Quit passing judgement on people before you have all of the facts. To this young mans family and friends, I am so sorry for you're lose no child should be taken before they have had a chance to live or experience life. May GOD be with you and help you through. I do think children could learn from this tragedy and the many others however, it almost seems to make other children want to try this choking game to try and understand what the draw is. Instaed of trying this "game", please keep in mind how many people have been taken because of the choking game, how hurt those who knew and loved them are, and this is not a game, it can cause serious damage to your brain, your memory, and your life. Do not even try this "game".

RIP: Thailan Cash

I get this fealing ther's a lot more to the story.And we will never know.

People who blame parents for everything are living in a dream world where they actually have control over everything. It scares them to think they could lose a child so they want to believe if they do everything "right" their kids will stay safe and alive. It is a fantasy. Bad things happen sometimes no matter what you do right. My deepest sympathies to the parents and family of this boy, losing a child is the worst thing in the world.

I remember this. We used to do that as kids in the hockey locker room. Instead though we'd take a deep breath, cross our arms, and have someone else push on it until we passed out basically.

It wasn't really 'to get high' in an adult's understanding. It made ya feel funny and laugh - like getting dizzy. Passing out / fainting is not something kids understand as potentially dangerous.

When my mother heard about it, she was stern... something like "Don't ever do that again, you could die, it's totally stupid and you could get brain damage." I avoided it after that and let the other kids kill brain cells. Before that, I didn't understand the harmful or dangerous implications of playing that game.

But, if I decided to keep doing it and not listen to my mother's good advice - well - there wasn't much she could do to stop me.

Ah, the choking game-- that quintessentially stupid "game" that seems solely to belong to preadolescent boys. I remember when I was 11 or 12 years old and one of my friends told me about it-- in my little neighborhood, word of the "game" traveled pretty fast, and when I was asked if I wanted to play it, the majority of the kids my age had already done it. With my group of friends, it was always stated to new initiates that the game was never to be played on your own-- you had the idiot equivalent of a "spotter" to remove the noose if you passed out. Despite this "safety" rule, I told them hell no-- that it sounded like a stupid game. After all, I had "Jaws" on Nintendo. Still, plenty of kids in the neighborhood did play the game... luckily no one was ever hurt, at least any that I heard of (and our neighborhood was small enough that news of anything that dramatic would have nearly instantaneous).

To the people above speculating that the kid was "running" from anything, seeking to get "high" because of abuse or something like that-- I think you may underestimate the thrill-seeking nature of a boy that young. The "game" was played by all manner of kids in my neighborhood, and unless all of them were abused, then the more likely explanation was that it was simply seen as a dangerous, fun thing to do (like hunting rattle snakes with sticks and stones, another of my pastimes in my youth). I feel very sorry for this kid. Too bad he didn't heed his mother's warning, or have the common sense, like I did, to avoid the "game" altogether.

Choking game? Choking yourself to induce a high? WTF is happening in America?

Correction::

would have been nearly instantaneous

Also, I state "another of my pastimes" when that is a little misleading-- I meant to show that I did stupid, thrill-seeking things even though I passed on the choking game...

Kayner,

Did you read what the mother says she did when she caught him playing the game the first time? "Honey, that's dangerous, don't do that!" Responding to what she says she did... I say it was not enough... Now when my and my friend parents found out, believe me they did enough, we stopped... Were we acting out sexual acts 'no', it was the 'sleeper hold' wrestlers were using, we just found belts and ropes helped also... Were any of us sexually abused, not that I'm aware of...

We played the game differently when I was younger. It was actually kind of fun, but we didn't use a noose (oh... by the way... I''ve never been sexually abused or bullied anymore than is typical).

For those of you wanting to play, here's what you do ;). The person to pass out should put their butt against the wall, and bend down. He breathes in deeply and quickly for about 30-60 seconds. Bending down is so the blood rushes to your head. You then quickly stand up straight and cross your arm over your chest (touch right hand to left shoulder, and left hand to right shoulder). A friend or two, then puts pressure on your chest/arms. You pass out. Your friends hopefully help you fall gracefully. If not, then you'll wake up with a wicked headache from slamming your head into the ground.

There's no danger of a noose involved... and is really just an extension of the light headedness we feel when we get up too quickly after laying down for a while.

CBurroughs I so agree with you. Honey that's dangerous don't do that... are you serious? When a kid does something dangerous you punish them so they don't want to do it again. >.<

I feel bad for the family that this happened, but they were aware of the situation. They should've put a stop to it.

As for the posters who say this is just something kids do growing up, uh no. I never did this game growing up and I don't know anyone else who did. It's just something some kids do to get a high feeling like any other type of thing like sniffing paint or taking illegal drugs.

Mandy,

Thank you...

I do feel so much sorrow for the parents in the loss of their child... May they find peace and may Thailan Rest In Peace...

So the parents would prefer to believe that their 10 year old son just wanted to get 'high'?

And that's better for them how?

The parents want to believe it was an accident. Yes, young boys are a very curious lot. They hear about something "fun" and they want to try it. I am, frankly, surprised that so many people reach adulthood when I remember the things I did as a child.

Conspiricist: Totally inaccurate. If it was not the intentional killing of ones self, the manner of death was accidental and the cause of death was asphixiation....Accidents that end up with a person dying are not ruled as suicides. Manners of death are suicide, homicide, accidental, and natural. Causes of death are many.

Life insurance? It doesn't pay in the event of suicide. And often gay kids are their own bullies. Sometimes people who aren't even perceived as gay, or bullied, commit suicide because of their sexual orientation. There's far too many things to consider in trying to determine why this tragedy occurred. But nothing will bring him back, and these parents may need life insurance to pay for his funeral expenses.

Darwin award winner. Right next to the guy who wanted to experience flying and jumped off the 20 story building. Too bad the parents, who knew he was doing this but did nothing but say "don't do that", couldn't join him.

There likely wont ever be an answer its all speculation. However, it did raise a question in my mind. I certainly am aware of adolescent suicide. Its a genuine question, as I don't know. Are there any numbers pertaining to sucides among children before adolesence? What a sad thing if so.

@ Mandy Anderson: you say that because you didn't do it growing up, then it's not normal. I hate to sound sexist, but truly, boys do absolutely crazy stuff that girls will just never do, or even think about. The passing out game is extremely well known, and practiced, by boys all across the US and probably world. Boys jump off rooftops, jump bikes over suicidal ramps, sniff gasoline, and, yes, we pass each other out. None of this stuff is with sinister intents, or escapism. It is almost always just pure curiosity, about the act itself, and how your friends will react as well. The fact that so many posters here claimed they know this game well should tell you something. I would like to see some evidence about those saying it kills brain cells and all that stuff, but even if it does, its true effect is minimal and for 99.99% of kids doing it, most will never see a side effect.

Some here have mentioned the sexual side of this game, and I just say google 'David Carradine'. As adults, we tend to know a bit more about what feels good and things that cross the line. Putting a noose-type item on your neck and playing the choking game crosses that line, because it could lead to death. I'm sure that feeling is part of the allure of the act, but for a 10yr old, I don't think a 'brush with death' gives the kid such a good feeling.

I would never blame the parents for such an act. Remember, when us older kids grew up, we were part of that generation that played outside, and didn't just play video games all the time. From stepping off the bus, to when our parents called us in for dinner(often repeatedly), we were playing outside with the other guys. This stuff just happens. When asked by parents, we don't tell them we are sniffing gas or passing out. We just say we were riding bikes or playing football. Boys lie to parents, just to avoid lectures. It is normal, for almost all kids. We are not evil, and not a single one of the guys I grew up with are in prison or anything like that. They are normal people, with kids of their own. If you have boys, you can almost be assured that they are doing, or will do, stuff like this and you will never find out. It is in our genetic coding, it is chemical, it is physical, it is 'whatever', but we will always do it. Sorry moms, your boys aren't angels.

The choking game isn't as common among girls as it is among boys, but it isn't male exclusive either. I'm a girl and I've heard of other girls doing it. Conspiricist, no, usually an accidental death is ruled as just that-accidental-not suicide. WMG-21, I'm voting your comment up just for this quote: "Despite this 'safety' rule, I told them hell no-- that it sounded like a stupid game. After all, I had 'Jaws' on Nintendo."

To the posters who say the mother did not go far enough when she told him to stop because it is dangerous, that is what the child psychologists tell you to do! You are supposed to reason with them (10 is not too young). You are not allowed to swat children, not even on the bottom, according to some psychologists. I am not saying that they are right, or that the mother should have punished him in some form or other. That is what parents are being told to do. Parents cannot always watch their children 24/7 and even if they did, children will still do stupid things.

As for the "game", I never heard about it until a few years ago. At that time, it was all over the news because several kids in different areas were dying or close to it. It was reported as a "sexual" game. Whether the boy was doing it on purpose (suicide) or it was an accident ("the game"), this mother lost her child and he will never come back. My condolences to the family.

I have a question as to why his "older" brother went all the way downstairs to tell his mother instead of taking the cord off of his neck.

Lib50,

that is not the point at all. Going off of what was stated in the article the parents knew their kid was doing this or had done it before but just told him not to do it anymore and did not seek professional help for the kid. I do not know about everyone else but I have never heard of this game before today nor known anyone who has played it.

Imo if the parents had done more to tell their kid that the game was too dangerous this would not have happened if it was an accident. If it was suicide then the parents should have gotten him help. Well in either case, wanting to play this game is a sign of something wrong up stairs, high or no high.

This is a case of placing some of the blame where it belongs, with the parents. The statement the mom made about how their kid could not have committed suicide because he was happy displays her probable ignorance about suicide. Not saying it is 100% their fault but they could have easily prevented this by taking note of the warning signs that their kid was participating in a dangerous activity.

I am willing to bet this was not his second time playing, he has probably done it a lot but his parents were not paying enough attention to notice.

Do not get me wrong, I do feel sorry for them, but they are not blameless either.

DiHrdLbrl

Not going to happen, people rather make offensive remarks. People never want to apologize but expect everyone to seek an apology for their actions/words.

Why apologize? That kind of speculation will get you a fine job as a modern-day "journalist" at MSNBC or the other speculatory news agencies. As long as your conclusion is entertaining and sensational, you don't need facts to back it up.

We go to MSNBC for entertainment. If you want real news, try NPR.

Yesterday it was a suicide. My comments were on child suicide. If the comment police are out to get me I will never turn myself in. I will spit in their (your) eyes and groin punch them like a first grader.

OMG, these comments are just ridiculous! The scary thing is, some of you are parents!

So sad that a 10 year old would need or want to get high. If that is what happend. Even sadder is that there are no public service announcements on TV about it. Directed both at the parents and the kids. 10K commericals on TV every week directed at kids and not one warning against this.

I'll admit I thought he had been bullied. But it seems he killed hiself playing one of those stupid games. Poor young man, He got his high for the same reason we all do, stress. He wanted to escape the @!$%#ty reality we've given our children.

At least he's in a better place now.

@Eltex

It's not just the falling that's the problem, and having friends around when you play is no safeguard. There are as many cases of kids dying while playing with friends as there are of them playing alone. It's not just the falling that kills, it's cutting off the oxygen supply to your brain. You are playing Russian Roulette without the bullets - EVERY TIME you pass out from this game you risk never waking up again. Don't kid yourself that there are ways to make it safe or minimize the risk.

Kids NEED to know this!

It's just like doing hard drugs - sure you can get a great high, but doing it can kill you. We don't go around telling kids about the awesomeness of the high - we tell them about the RISK. They'll have plenty of people telling them how great it is, but the first thing kids always say - just like you did (X being playing with friends) - when their friend dies, is "we thought doing X made it safe." It's not true. It's never true. And they need someone to tell them that before they find it out the hard way.

Just because you played it as a kid and managed to live through it doesn't make it safe, it makes you lucky.

"I told him, 'Honey that's dangerous. You shouldn't do that,'"

Honey, it's dangerous to ALLOW children to asphyxiate themselves. Why on earth would you tolerate it?

Next time make sure the message gets across!

@skate_08: making up stats doesn't make your story more compelling. If you do research on the game, you will see that most of the deaths and serious injuries occur from the falling and from spasms on the ground. Find me a single case of where the passed out clean, and didn't wake up. It just doesn't happen. It's common for us to lie to our children, telling them sitting too close to the TV will hurt their eyes, not to cross their eyes or they will get stuck, and all that jazz. But here with the grownups, we prefer to use data and real information, not made up stories.

I feel your heart is in the right place, but your brain is still stuck in the 80's or something...

Ok, so my hyperbole (never intended to be "stats," btw) was incorrect. You're right, I didn't research numbers before posting, my post was based on discussions I have personally had with medical professionals based on their experiences in the ER and reading medical journals (although they can't discuss individual cases, they can discuss the reality of this game based on the injuries they see). And, yes, I did misspeak by lumping injury and death together - that was my mistake.

But since you brought it up, I have done the research. I have also personally emailed with the head of the Dangerous Behaviors Foundation, a non-profit which brings together parents, teachers, medical professionals and LEOs to be one of the only organizations to actually collect real information on the game. In addition to official statistics, which are unreliable due most cases being unreported or wrongly attributed to suicide, they confidentially collect and examine real eyewitness and family testimony and medical information. Therefore, they can't supply case details without family consent, but they can tell you what definitely does occur.

Here is what I have found:

1. Playing this game with friends is no deterrent. From the head of the DBF:

"There MOST CERTAINLY, I repeat MOST CERTAINLY cases involving kids in groups who became fatal statistics."

Here is information from one mother - and she is one of MANY: http://www.mysonmike.com/ifonly.html

The DBF also told me this:

"Also there is a young boy, again played in a group in Missouri in 2001 who now lives in a hospital bed in his family's living room, brain damaged to the point of living the rest of his days in a vegetative state."

2. Here are some of the scary facts, including stats:

• Consequences of participating in the Choking Game can include, but are not limited to: Memory loss, bruises and concussions, broken bones, seizures, retinal hemorrhaging, stroke and brain damage (from minor to permanent vegetative state) and sudden death.
• Kids have died the first time. Some were alone and some were ‘playing’ with their friends.
• Anytime the brain is deprived of oxygen it results in brain damage.

• There is no ‘right’ or ‘safe’ way to do this.

THE COLD HARD FACTS:

• After 3 minutes without oxygen a child will suffer brain damage
• 4-5 minutes and a child will suffer severe brain damage and/or death
• 25% of reported victims were found in under 15 minutes. It was already too late.

3. Medical information from Dr. Thomas Andrew, a pediatrician, New Hampshire's chief medical examiner and an expert on the dangers of the choking game:

Long-term effects have not been studied and one can only speculate what they may be. There are reports of children having sustained enough anoxic (lack of oxygen) brain damage as a result of some catastrophe playing the game to be permanently disabled. Short-term effects may still include sudden death -- even when playing with a partner or group. For example, if a player has his/her hands around a partner's neck and stimulates a small mass of nerve cells, called the carotid bodies, the heart can be brought to a virtual standstill. Other short-term effects may be traumatic injury. There have been reports of emergency room visits to repair lacerations of the scalp, sprained wrists and other injuries when a player has passed out and fallen against a piece of furniture or to the floor. One article from France describes damage to the retina in children playing what is called "the scarf game."

While the risk is quite low, there is still the possibility of inducing what is called a ventricular arrhythmia (basically an electrical short-circuiting of the heart) due to the alteration in blood chemistries and oxygen content of the blood when combining hyperventilation with chest compression.

4. And the scariest statistic of all, one of the few actual statistics available concerning the choking game (research performed at the University of British Columbia and published in the medical journal Injury Prevention):

40% of kids think that playing this game is safe.

And, like you, they are wrong.

Lastly, since I'm sure taking the DBF's word won't be enough for you, when I find a specific real-world example of a child who "passed out clean and didn't wake up" with publicly released medical records, I'll be sure to let you know.

Well I don't care what people think of me, so I will do it:

"I told him, 'Honey that's dangerous. You shouldn't do that,'" Yolanda Cash, the boy's mom, says.

[...]

"Why my baby? He was only 10," Cash says

This is why mom: because you didn't say "NO! That's BAD!!!!!" strongly and swat him on the butt! An "oh you shouldn't do that" does not paint a clear enough picture.

You see, you need to make it clear the amount of danger involved when a *young* child is endangering himself or others. Sorry you had to learn it this way...

Unregistered voter you sound nasty and ignorant...would you say the same ignorant, nonsense to parents who teen would die in a fishing or boating accident? You are the epitome of an idiot!!!

Damn right... thanks denisehopes for saying everything I was just about too!

Unregistered User, kinda think like you. The minute my child does something that endangers her(or anyone around her for that matter), it's stopped quickly and she is sternly told why she is beig stopped and what could happen to her, and what will happen to her if I catch her doing it again.

Unregistered User... I agree toatally. When I first became aware of the choking game and "dusting" that kids were doing to get high, I immediately sat my son down with his freinds (at the time he was 7 or 8) and read them a few articles regarding recent deaths from both practices and explained to them how a possible high is not worth death no matter what and I made them sit there and discuss it with me until I was sure that they all understood. If I had found out that my son was actually playing this game, I would have not only had a very long and stern discussion with him, I would have removed his bedroom door so that there was no question as to what he would be doing when no one was looking. The fact that the parents were aware and didn't react in a more serious way is disturbing and possibly could have prevented this tragedy.

Unregistered User and Jeremy are absolutely right. "Why my baby?" Because of your parenting skills. You should have made your child stop strangling himself.

It's not GOD's fault. He showed you what the child was doing to himself. It was your role as a parent to "say "NO! That's BAD!!!!!" strongly and swat him on the butt!" to induce the child to literally stop killing himself.

denise, I have to agree more with Unregistered on this one. I, too, thought it was a pretty weak scolding for something that could kill your child. Yes, boating and fishing can be dangerous when the right precautions aren't taken (and even when they are). But you're not trying to tell your child to take precautions when playing "the choking game." You're trying to instill in them that it should NEVER, EVER be played because it is inherently dangerous and life-threatening.

I'm not 'unregisterd user' but I would say the same...Not to parents who lost their child to a boating or fishing accident (denisehopes) but I WOULD say it to the parents of a child who died while 'huffing' or shooting up after the parents said 'Now Honey, you don't need to be doing that' instead of making a point to stop the child from 'getting high'.....Cold? Yes...Heartless? Maybe...but the truth is the truth and this child's death, though tragic, is the result of a 10 year old wanting to 'get high' and the parent's not impressing on him how wrong that was......

Agree!

He probably didn't understand just how dangerous it is to get that close to passing out with your breathing cut off. It might be better to ask a question like 'who is going to let you breath if you do pass out?'. Getting the children in touch with the real danger is going to work a lot better that 'NO' and a spanking. Kids understand a lot more than adults give them credit for, and that can be a big problem, if you just talk down to them, they will ignore you. Threats don't work well either. Understanding has the greatest impact on survival of the fittest at any age. And sorry, that is what this is all about. I told my kids "it is survival of the fittest and any accident you survive is a learning experience". And "that it was up to them to take care of themselves because I could not always be there to help". They heard that many times from when they could first understand language. Yes, like me and just about every kid on the planet, we all did stupid things but most of the time we survive; sometimes miraculously. This continues all through life in varying degrees.

He probably didn't understand just how dangerous it is to get that close to passing out with your breathing cut off

Sad but most likely true. My own sister got me in a headlock when we were teens. We weren't fighting - just horsing around in good spirit but she managed to cut off my blood and oxygen supply and nearly knocked me out. I couldn't speak because of the way she was holding me so there was no way to tell her that she was endangering me. We didn't have rules for "tapping out" since it was just a spur of the moment tussle so there was no way to let her know. Fortunately she let go when I went limp or we could have accidentally made headlines that day.

Yes, this boy's parents should have been firmer in the way they told him not to do it, but why this sudden rash of recommendations of corporal punishment as soon as you find out your kid is playing the choking game? There are other ways to communicate the danger. Several other posters have suggested telling kids about cases of kids who have died playing it. I agree with them and think this would be a good example story.

RE: Rank on Rank #2.6
"Unregistered User and Jeremy are absolutely right. "Why my baby?" Because of your parenting skills. You should have made your child stop strangling himself."

What is it with the Xian love of 'blaming the victim?'

RE: Rank on Rank #2.6
"It's not GOD's fault. He showed you what the child was doing to himself. It was your role as a parent to "say "NO! That's BAD!!!!!" strongly and swat him on the butt!" to induce the child to literally stop killing himself."

It most certainly is! There are ramifications and repercussions to the tenets and claims of a religion. 'Divine Plan', Omniscience, Omnipotence, Omnipresence.

Before the Xian deity construct said the 'magic words' and 'ripped a universe sized fart after too much of Odin's Ale and pickled eggs'; every thought, action, and occurrence involving an individual was scripted and scheduled. Divine Plan and Omniscience flat state that. Omnipresence indicates 'God' not only watched the child die and saw and heard the parents' anguish.

The child's father is 'angry at God' right now and demands 'answers'. Who is he to demand anything of God? God isn't concerned about how an insignificant creature in the sea of time in this vast universe feels.

Based on the teachings and tenets of Christianity-all are mere actors in a pointless play. They hit their marks and speak their lines as was scripted eons ago. They have no choice in the matter. God said so-and that it is good.

Stoney, Hey thanks for reaching out.

What is it with the Xian love of 'blaming the victim?'

In this case, it is not the mother or the father who is the victim. The child, the deceased, is the victim. The mother had the responsibility to stop the child from the activity which put his life in danger.

It most certainly is! There are ramifications and repercussions to the tenets and claims of a religion. 'Divine Plan', Omniscience, Omnipotence, Omnipresence.

Omnipresence indicates 'God' not only watched the child die and saw and heard the parents' anguish.

As usual for people like you, your understanding of Theology is woefully lacking. But here, write this down somewhere. ' Omniscience never means a human being is not responsible for his or her action or inaction. '

Based on the teachings and tenets of Christianity-all are mere actors in a pointless play.

Do you have any proof to substantiate that remark? Where in the New Testament does it say that? Jesus Christ never taught that, nor any of His apostles. In Christianity, a human life is anything but 'pointless'. This, for example, is one reason why most Christians are against killing one's unborn child. Because each human life comes with a GOD given purpose.

"Based on the teachings and tenets of Christianity-all are mere actors in a pointless play."-stoney

Who said that? The apostle Shakespeare in the book of 'As You Like It'? Is that New Testament or Old?

Yeah Shakespeare, wasn't he one of the original 12 apostles?

LOL

What is it with the Xian love of 'blaming the victim?'

It's a discussion - which is the purpose of these message boards - of exactly what went wrong, what should have been done, how to learn from the mistakes made, and how to teach others to prevent it from happening again.

Feeling bad for the parents doesn't accomplish prevention of future incidents. Identifying their mistakes does, and it doesn't make you a bad person for doing it.

if any of us had a clue as to where to go from here, this needs to be discussed with people who have kids. Already a man at my work, at my information and insistence that we must know what our children are doing, even if they seem like perfect little angels, will be talking with his children about this, to find out if they had heard of it at school. Let us go and do likewise.

its been going on for years... i remember it when i was a kid 30 years ago.

im not sure why she's angry at God though... if I was God I'd be like "what do you want me to do, he willfully put a curtain around his neck" if God stopped everyone from doing stupid things, whats the point of existance.

as a parent, my heart goes out to his mother. a message needs to get out there, maybe she's now that voice

jayfos, thank you. Unreg. user swat them im all 4 it as I was swatted many a time as were my 8 siblings were! with brooms, wooden spoons, or anything mom would get her hands on. It works, the new timeout crap works real well, im sure you all know that time out child who has destroyed a family or is in the prosess of destroying a family because we won`t spank. I say spank them now or the`ll be spanking you later! JUST LOOK AROUND! THANKS MOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You are correct! What are you going to do to help stop it? Do you care enough, are you concerned enough to take action to put a stop to this "stupid chocking game?" Perhaps your post on this message board is your idea of enough action; is that correct? You state that it "will kill more kids." With that knowledge do you intend to help stop it or will you sit by and watch and read and then post again?

Forty-seven years old here and I had never heard of this game until a few years ago. Wow I did not realize it had been going on for so many years.

I used to play that choking game when I was a kid, 45 years ago (I'm sorry to say). It's not that unusual. Kids do it to experience the altered state. They don't connect it with dying. Just as some adults are interested in altered states, so are children. People who think kids interests are limited to sweet, innocent things are wrong. They're interested in everything.

Also... the fact that the parents say it was a choking game doesn't mean it definitively WAS a choking game.

The unfortunate thing about altered states, such as getting high, is the strong uge to get higher and go farther than before. It must be better, right? The new experience which is different than the boring norm is why Marijuana is called a gateway drug. Soon, it's not enough. I suspect the same principle was in play with this 10 year old. He enjoyed the thrill of an altered state. He probably learned it at school, or online. And in that he enjoyed the "thrill", the normal method just didn't do it any more. So he went further.

I sincerely hope his school holds an assembly and has people come in and address the students on this issue, or we will be reading of others.

Oh please, Levi.

I smoked dope for years, then one day stopped and haven't smoked it in decades.

Pot doesn't cause addiction, addicts do. And I'm not just being funny. People who are addicts can always point to some substance as a "gateway drug." If they aren't heroin addicts, they'll be alcoholics and drive around killing people with their automobiles instead of crashing out in the back alley.

Wow, maybe you should go back to smoking pot, and get mellow. Of course it's the personality. How is it that anyone can smoke pot and decide they hate it, or do it once and never again, and don't go on to other drugs? When the thrill factor a person enjoys is mixed with drugs, the thrill factor must be satisfied over and over, and the norm does not satisfy repeatedly. Yes, it is endemic to each person, not all people. For them, Marijuana is a gateway drug. I too have experience with pot, which I now reject. Was it a gateway drug for me? Not really, although I did do some acid, mushrooms, and once even cocaine. That person is not worthy of continued existence, and I did away with him many years ago. But I know this:

Had I not started with pot, I never would have done acid, shrooms or cocaine. The decision to never use drugs would have been made with the marijuana, and the door would therefore, not have been open to other forms of drugs.

It's really silly to think that everyone's experience is your own.

I'll admit I thought he had been bullied. But it seems he killed hiself playing one of those stupid games. Poor young man, He got his high for the same reason we all do, stress. He wanted to escape the @!$%#ty reality we've given our children.

At least he's in a better place now.

It's really silly to think that everyone's experience is your own.

Why is it "silly" for me to think everyone's experience is the same as my own, when you think everyone's experience is what you've been told by propagandists?

I'm still close with a lot of friends from my misspent youth. None of them became addicts. Not one.

I'm sorry you have an addictive personality, but most people don't, and I don't think laws should be made that curtail the freedom of adults in a misguided attempt to protect people who can't make good choices.

Quite the rabbit trail, eh? Seriouslynow, this isn't about legalizing marijuana, this is about the tendency of people who seek the thrill not being satisfied with the thrill when it becomes usual. And I'll bet you do the same thing. Let's take it out of the realm of drugs.

Do you ever want to see someplace new? Buy a new car? Get some new clothes? Why? Isn't it ever because you want the change? Sure, you may buy clothes that you need, or a car that you need. I'm not talking about living expenses. Aren't you ever unsatisfied with the usual? Sure, I think of farmers in Iowa that see the same thing day after day after day all their lives and are quite content. That would drive me crazy, and I suspect one must be wired that way or something.

To answer your question, "why is it 'silly' for (me) to think everyone's experience is the same as (your) own..." It is silly because that is another quality of human existence. You don't have to look very far to find that this is not true. Where it really gets heinous is when we try to make little Americans out of people from other countries. But lets keep it home. Okay. The reason I call it silly is perhaps I may communicate something to you, and anyone else who reads this. We need to consider others, and not make decisions about who or what they are until we really know them...know them by virtue of their words and actions. Other people have different experiences in life than our own, and they respond to the those experiences in differing ways.

We cannot know why this 10 year old boy engaged in this horrendous game. Either indeed it was suicide (my life sucks) or it was indeed a game (my life is boring).

But my point, Levi, was that you did the exact same thing while chastising me for it. First you told me to not extrapolate from my personal experience, then you turned around and referenced your own experience to prove your point that marijuana is a gateway drug.

As for your assumptions about me, LOL. I have lived in other countries, including those with cultures and values very different from the U.S.

However, I contend that all humans engage in emperical thinking when trying to make sense of the world around them and the motives of others. Even you.

Hmmm...SN, well tell ya what. I read your response to my initial comment as if you were chastising me....how about we remove the third party out of the way, from in between us, who seems to be translating for us, and just be two people talking. I for one will tell you I never meant to chastise you, even if I did defend my position. I continue to assert that people who look for the thrill soon become disastisfied, and seek a deeper thrill, which is what led to this young boy's demise. More and more and more. I did equate it to my own experience in that I used to become disatisfied with the norm, and sought the higher thrill. All of life teaches us this, or no one would ever try to break a record.

As for your personal experience, you and I share the insight of being world travelers, then. Off the topic, but I think everyone should spend at least 6 months living in another country. I think it would make us better Americans and citizens of the world.

Back to the topic, I continue to assert the principle. Once the door is opened to that which thrills a person, the initial becomes humdrum, and so they seek the next level up, and the next level up. That's not neccesarily addictive behavior...it's human nature. That's also why parents need to pay attention to what their children are doing. "Stop that" doesn't cut it.

I feel guilty because we're having this conversation on the thread.

I continue to assert that people who look for the thrill soon become disastisfied, and seek a deeper thrill

I agree with that. Until you reach a point where you've experienced too much, and then you seek peace.

Peace to you, Levi. :)

And to you, SN. Peace to you. Nothing to feel guilty about. We're just two people talking. :) Merry Christmas!

Our society may have issues still, but it is the most benign society in human history where kids are concerned...

Just a hundred years ago, kids were working in industrial jobs too dangerous for adults working them.

A hundred and fifty years ago, it was perfectly acceptable for 14-15 year old girls to be married and expecting their first child.

Two hundred years ago, kids were marching along side soldiers going to war playing the friggin' drums and carrying powder charges for artillery.

A thousand to two thousand years ago, Roman and Greek nobility would keep young boys as lovers...openly... People like Sandusky wouldn't have drawn a double take walking down the street.

Don't get me wrong, we're not perfect, but give us a LITTLE credit here...

This "game" has been around for a long time. I can remember being in middle school, over 25 years ago <<yikes!>> and kids doing this stupid game in the bathroom. Instead of using a rope they would have someone push on their chests.

James, the really sad thing is that everything you mentioned is still going on in the world except that the keeping of young children for lovers isn't so out in the open. Perhaps we have gotten away from the awful things in the U.S., but kids girls, as young as 11 or 12, are regularly sold or married in arranged marriages, by their families in various Asian and African societies. Children, as young as 8, are working in factories. In South America and Africa, are going off to war, not to beat drums, but to fire weapons and the drug cartels in Mexico seem to be on a youth movement with some leaders as young as 14.

You're right, our society certainly does still have issues!

Absolutely, it sounds to me like this little boy choking himself to death has a lot less to do with society (society definitely doesn't condone this sort of things and actually tries to discourage it) and a lot more to do with children doing dumb things without considering the consequences. When I think of all the dumb things I did as a teen and preteen, I often wonder how I survived to adulthood.

Parents do need to be involved in their kid's lives. If the child is caught doing something this risky, parents need to become much more involved. I don't know everything these parents did. I doubt the article even begins to scratch the surface. I do know this family has lost their beautiful boy and for that I am extremely sorry.

absolutelyright, you are absolutely right on this. Thank you for your post.

This "game" has been around for a long time.

In the 80's where I was from, there was a variation of it that basically involved choking yourself with your own hands. Only one kid my age did it though and every time she did the other kids watched sort of awkwardly. None of us wanted to do it and couldn't figure out why she did.

Poor kid, I did see a comment on here saying that the police deemed it a suicide and that is what it is considered whether it is intentional or unintentional. Just a shame the parents couldn't have gotten to him in time. My heart goes out to this family.

Thank you! I was going to add that to my comment. I caught my two year old reaching into his poopy diaper and now I don't let him play alone for more than 2 minutes! And that's just messy/annoying not life-threatening!

Stop lying, idiots, no parent can watch a child 24 hours a day...not you, not me, not anyone...people on this board are saying the most vile ignorant, nonsense about this mother, and I wonder why?

Denise - please stop posting unless you have something valid to add to this conversation. And, yes, children with a history of choking theselves should be watched 24/7....PERIOD!

So Johnny -

When do you sleep?

@denisehopes: I totally agree with you. All of you who are attacking the mom, do you not think she is also beating herself up? We also do not know when she they found out he did it the first time. It could have been months or even a year ago. Instead of criticizing her for not spanking him or for not being harder on him, we should be sending out our condolences. Children get injured and hurt, as parents we do our best to protect them and warn them of dangers, however, as we cannot watch over them 24/7, 100% of the time. It is simply not possible.

Johny Mullet
Denise - please stop posting unless you have something valid to add

You will not find a more neurotic, over protective, cautious parent than myself. I used to think that they should be watched 100% of the time. I now concede that is not entirely possible as they need to sleep in their own rooms, go to the bathrooms by themselves, run up to their rooms to get things themselves.

Thus your post has no value either.

If I had a child that had a history of choking themselves, you better believe that they would be watched 24/7. Without a doubt.

It's a very natural parental instinct to try to protect our children from everything painful. It's the wrong thing to do. The earlier children learn about consequences, the better. Sometimes it means you have to let them get hurt a little bit. If you want a kid to learn about dangers, let them do some things that hurt but don't injure.

I can appreciate the tremendous grief that this mother must be suffering. There is no reasonable way that a stay-at-home parent can be aware of what their children are doing all of the time, let alone a working parent (you have to sleep sometime).

There are some deaths that can't be prevented. If a person is truly suicidal, then it is only a matter of time before they kill themself. I don't think these parents actually have an answer for how (or why) their son died. I think they can't stand the idea of their 10-year-old son deliberately taking his own life, and instead are offering up an explanation that they can more easily live with.

Yes, it's obvious to anyone who thinks rationally that kids cannot be watched 24/7. Besides the situations voiced by Mike-416, are you going to go to school with your kid too? That was where I participated in 'the choking game'...in the boy's bathroom, 7th grade, 12 YO, 1962. Squatted down, fingers laced behind my head, a friend squatting behind me with his arms around my chest. Five or six deep breaths, then the friend would bear hug me until I passed out. I did this twice, the first time to see if they could really make ME pass out (it worked). The first time, the friend laid me down gently. The second time (different kid wanted to see if he could do it too) he just let me go. When I woke up a few seconds later, my head hurt and the other boys were chewing out this kid for just letting me go. My head bounced hard on the concrete floor. I wouldn't do it again.

What I would have told this kid was that what he was doing was extremely dangerous because he was alone. As an adult, this was the first thing I thought of when I read this tragic story. What I was doing wasn't too smart, but doing what this kid was doing alone was insane. At ten years old, he undoubtedly never thought about this, but who was going to undo the curtain after he was unconscious? If I had been his mother, who was apparently fortunate enough to find out what her boy was doing, I would have shown much more concern and anger, and drove home the point of how dangerous it is to do stuff like this with nobody around to help you when something goes wrong, and something WILL go wrong, it always does.

So I agree, you can't know what your kid is up to 24/7, and I also agree that, if you're lucky enough to find out BEFORE tragedy strikes, for God's Sake, treat it more seriously than burping at the dinner table!

Anyone who thinks they can watch a child 24/7 is delusional, on drugs or seriously fooling themselves. Unless you have that kid chained to you, it's just not possible. You have to sleep or go to the bathroom. The kid goes to school. You go to work. How are you planning to accomplish this?

This is clearly a sad, sad situation and no one is 'at fault.' Sure, the parents should have been more forceful in trying to stop this 'game.' 'No honey, don't do that' doesn't work. But they also had no idea it would go to this extent.

I totally feel sorry for the family, him and his little friends. God should not be blamed for this...and it seems the mother is angry with God. Don't you know that satan is the ruler of this world and he is doing everything he could to destroy anyone or anything. You can see the conditions are so bad. I hope his family will be comforted soon.

Rosie,

Satan is not the reason life on this planet is rough, Humans do that to themselves through arrogance and intolerance of each other.

Harry,

Same here, you would think at the very least the kid would have had a few science classes where they would have said oxygen is very important to brain function. We learned the basics of how the body works in the 4th grade, which covered that the body uses oxygen to function properly.

It was not really sensationalist news as the article says the police still believe it was a suicide. It is the MOTHER who thinks it was not.

Yeah, it was. Even the original article from the hometown news gave no speculation on the cause of death and it was irresponsible of MSNBC to assume it was suicide with no other facts given.

They were reporting the the ME said it looked like suicide. If the ME said that then it should be okay to add that to the article.

They said the "station" said it looked like suicide, and the original report said that the ME was investigating. They had not determined a cause or manner of death at the time this report was published.

All you out there that think you can stop kids from doing dangerous things and watch them 24/7 when you catch them--are totally out to lunch. Go to Harlem and become youth advocates and counselors if you think you are so much better than this mother. They need you out there. If you also think you know and are aware of every "naughty" thing your adolescent does, you are also delusional. But, you are the experts--you know how it should be done--So get on with it and help raise the children of American to your standards. This mother may have thought it was a one time incident that and, other wise bright and wonderful son, did out of curiosity and that it was finished. She did not visualize his death in her mind--let me assure you. She probably couldn't. Blame is for jurors. Punishment is for judges. Empathy is for us mortal humans.

And how would you know he's in hell?

That's not funny nor appropriate PAQ! You should be ashamed of yourself.

PAQ...He died as a result of an accident. If he forgot to look both ways before he crossed the street and was hit and struck by a car--would he go to hell? Assuming there is such a place. Sensitivity is, clearly, not one of your skill sets....Empathy not one of your stronger points.

PAQ....not only are you dumb, you're an ass

Yes it was entirely inappropriate and I apologize for my insensitivity. Being an atheist I don't actually believe in any of that anyway. i do know however that the position of the christian churches is that if you commit suicide you go to hell. I assume that the mother, who by the way may be culpable if it was not suicide, was referring to that mythology.

He would have blacked out and died. He only felt the pressure in his head before he died. He didn't feel the high--at least, I doubt it, because he didn't remove the curtain. I think part if the high is the O2 rushing back to your head. It doesn't take long for a black out to occur when the stricture is too tight or left on too long. Very dangerous--activity. I have a hard time comparing this to a game of Monopoly.

Excuse me? What evidence to have to support such an accusation against a parent that just lost her son--who was found with a curtain around his neck? That is so cruel and revealing of your character that it makes me want to cry. I can't believe the assumptions of culpability and the heaping on of guilt that some poster think is their Constitutional right. How cold hearted we have become. He was not found bound and gagged. They did not report any broken bones or bruises. There is no report of Children's Services having been involved with this family--let you say children who commit suicide this young are often victims of child abuse--implying something that hasn't even come into the picture. Some children commit suicide at this age just because they are mad that they were grounded and have an "I'll show them. They will be sad when I die." attitude and poor impulse control. They actually think they will see their revenge take place from on high. They don't understand that dead is dead. Some children do a lot of things for a lot of reasons.

RevSpinnaker, not necessarily. Some kids, mostly boys, do it as a thrill-seeking activity.

They actually think they will see their revenge take place from on high.

Makes you wonder where they pick that kind of stuff up huh? (yes I am going for the obvious answer).

But all three of you are right in some respects:

boys are stupid enough to risk life and limb for status or to get a high feeling, there are a large number of child suicides that result from abuse, this also ties into Colorblind's theory quoted above.

In this case the parents knew the kid was doing this and did nothing else then just tell him to stop, not a very convincing argument and not something a ten year old is going to listen to anyway. Does not matter if it was for a high or a true suicide, the kid needed professional help; as do all kids that attempt life risking endeavors for the sake of frivolous exploits.

This woman seems like she wanted to be a mother, as she has another child and is distraught about this one. Just because a woman isn't a good mother doesn't mean she will choose not to have a baby. Also why is it more acceptable to kill him before he turned 10 than have him die in what may have been an accidental death? By that logic, no one should be allowed to be born. They could get hit by a bus or contract a terrible disease later in life or die of old age!

Ignorant!

Soooo many perfect parents out there....Blaming it all on the mother. Not once is there mention of the father's role in rearing this child. You cannot put a 10 year old on a leash 24/7. They will be alone in the bathroom--unless your name is Sandusky--and they will go to bed at night. Let me ask you all that blame this mother--Do your parents know about everything you did that was dangerous as a child--and if they caught you, did it stop you from EVER doing that thing again? Doing wheelies, for example, or sledding behind cars, walking a fence, getting into fights, not looking both ways when crossing the street? All could result in your death....And it would be your mother's fault?

Mark

You're stupid- and I don't usually call people out of their names. I am so angry with you people on this board right now. My son is a teenager now and I put myself in this mother's shoes. I don't think I would be blaming God though. As a mother, I know kids can be disobedient and will get into trouble. Sometimes it costs them their life. I do believe she got a warning from God when she caught him before. Boys (and girls) can do some really immature things because they don't know the dangers of them. I have, we all have probably- just thank God for his grace and mercy.

Last thing for all you blamers and bashers - do you watch your children 24/7? It could happen to you too, so be careful what you say about other people and their children.

Who can possibly watch their kid(s) every second of everyday? No one, so some o' you people obviously don't have kids and shouldn't pass judgment on somebody else when, first of all, you don't even know for real, the whole story. And if some others are so perfect in your parenting skills and think total 24/7 survellence(sp) on kids is reality, then why are you typin' stupid crap on this post? You took your eyes off your child to do it, then wanna be scoldin' somebody else because they did the same thing. Get a grip already

The family wasn't necessarily unstable or having problems. It's a thrill-seeking activity among tweens and teens, usually boys. Even kids from good families do it just to see what it's like.

Exactly. Kids, as well as some adults, just do dumb things. Life is a learnin' experience, and we've ALL done dumb things in our past, and know others who did too, but just weren't lucky enough to have survived. I just hope the lil guy didn't feel anything and just kinda "went to sleep". I had a cardiac arrest last July and died, and that's all I can remember, is just the feelin' of goin' to sleep. May he rest in peace, and the family FIND peace.

Jo-An, I think your right, the more I read of this, I can now see that it is Obama's fault..

Good study there girl..

I personally believe your are in need of serious help...mental help.

What a rant!!

Good grammar Jean!

Jo-An, did you miss the part where they knew it was going on yet did nothing about it outside of saying "oh dear, you probably shouldn't do that, it could be dangerous"....

If your kids were running around with kitchen knives would saying "Golly gee, I don't know if you all should be doing that, someone could get hurt" and then going about your business suffice?

Jo Ann is right on. The mother said she saw it once--not that she knew it was "going on" and warned him that it was dangerous. You do not have any evidence to support the theory (and that is all it is) that she was aware that he was doing it on a regular basis. Wow...Not one comment about the father? No comments about what a loving a good kid this child was reported as being. How happy he seemed? Blame it on Mom--this will teach her. If she found her son unconscious, but alive, and beat the crap out of him for doing such a thing--was reported for abuse and charged....Would that make you people happy? Who would you blame then?

No Mike, I didn't miss the part about them having seen this before! No one knows what was discussed within that family, not you or anyone else. To judge them is WRONG! PERIOD! All these people that "claim" to be Christians and then come on here to JUDGE people...I am amazed! A child is DEAD! And it is the result of a game that has been played for years, hopefully some of these sanctimonious people will talk to their children/grandchildren and explain the consequences of this "game".

Sorry, folks, but I have to agree. If my 10 y/o had choked him/herself for a high, that child would have been firmly welded to my side until I was sure that that passing fancy had truly passed and that he had gotten the help he needed.

Wych - It doesn't have anything to do with the current generation or changes in sociiety. I played the pass-out game when I was in elementary school.

.... in the sixties.

I went to elementary school in the sixties and I have never heard of the pass-out game. I must have been living under a rock.

Maw-Maw, I doubt you were living under a rock, maybe your friends just weren't doing this. But I have to agree. I had friends that used to do this in elementary school in 3 different states (Dad worked for IBM aka - I've Been Moved) and again in Junior High. I never played the game, but saw plenty of my friends play it. Always seemed stupid to me. Still does. But, I can certainly have empathy for this family. Supposedly, this is how the lead singer of INXS died several years ago...auto erotic asphyxiation. This is not something new under the sun.

Have you watched TV lately? Even Saturday morning TV is getting a bit explicit. Or how about those "R" rated DVD's you have sitting on the shelf in your living room - do you think your children don't watch those when you're away?

I watch entirely too much tv and have never once seen anything that would instruct a child on how to do this nonsense. I don't understand censorship either. I'm not sure the word that can be used to mean stuff or fecal matter is constantly bleeped out while the word that literally means female dog but often used in a demeaning and derogatory way at woman is never bleeped out.

Oh here we go, blaming TV/Movies/Video Games for poor parenting. Why just yesterday on Fox they had an instructional show for the choking game, maybe he watched that....

/sarcasm

gosh so sick of people blaming stuff on TV.. you people are fools.. if its that much of a problem then take your tv's away from your kids.. oh wait its just so much easier to plop them down in front of the tv with snacks instead of being a parent..

Retired RN...I am also a retired RN. What did you do with your kids while you were at work? Did you work at a place where you could take him to work with you? Wasn't a happening thing in my medical world. Would you keep him out of school? Would you watch him take a dump and bathe? Would your 10 year old sleep with you? You would then be accused of child abuse, you know? What posters are suggesting is simply not practical or feasible for parents. Cubs get away from their mothers sometimes and some times they are hurt. Even mothers of cubs have to go hunt and forage for their children and themselves to live. Accidental death is the number one killer of children. Homicide is the number on killer of young adult males. Children die. Blame need not be assigned, as the parents are surely doing that to themselves as we speak. Glad to have never worked with you. I took care of so many patients that were injured and/or sick because of lifestyle choices--and I never thought it was my job to judge them.

I also took care of many people who were there because of lifestyle choices, and while I had some private thoughts about trips down the road to where they were going, my patients never, not once, knew it. My job was to drag them, sometimes kicking me and screaming, back to the land of the living, and I did it well.

Now....regarding my children: no, I did not take my children to work. However, I paid a good portion of my salary to insure that they were in a safe and well supervised situation while I was at work and felt it money well spent. Had one of them "played the choking game" and I knew about it, you can be assured that that child would not have had the opportunity to try it again, even if I DID have to watch them bathe and pee until I was absolutely sure that it was not a pastime that they would pursue again, and I wouldn't have given a rip what anyone thought abut it.

Yes, children die. Some of those deaths are inevitable. This one was not. Tragic? Absolutely, and all the more so for being completely preventable.

people are barely getting by these days, unless it was free counseling, counseling can be expensive. they should have tried to spend more time talking about the dangers of it.

More kids play this than any of us know... I think you tube and the internet helped spread it like wildfire - these are just babies that have no idea that it's dangerous and no one wants to talk about it. I'm screaming it from the rooftops but the schools don't want to tell the parents or even admit it's going on.