Indian Land Boy Dies After Playing Choking Game

INDIAN LAND, S.C — An 11-year-old Indian Land boy accidentally killed himself while playing the choking game, according to reports.

Garrett Pope Jr. died alone in his room on Wednesday.   The Lancaster County Coroners Office stated Pope died from accidental asphyxiation.

The objective of the choking game is to temporarily cut off oxygen flow to the brain, creating a euphoric sensation.  Children have been known to use a myriad of objects to choke themselves including belts, ropes, scarves, and shoelaces.

The pope family is understandably devastated and unsure of the circumstances surrounding his death.

Garrett Pope Sr. posted on Facebook last week saying, “We do not know where Garrett learned this, but the logical source would be from other kids in school, or in our neighborhood. Our tablets and computers show no online research that he might have done.”

Pope continued, “Please know that his senseless death was not intentional. He took this terrible ‘game’ too far. My family has never felt pain like this before, and we don’t anyone else to go through what we are going through. Please talk about this with your kids, and do everything you can to prevent a similar tragedy. He was so young and impressionable, he didn’t know what he was doing, and made a terrible mistake. We miss him.”

According to CDC statistics, the choking game was responsible for 82 deaths from 1995 to 2007.  The overwhelming majority of the deaths were adolescent boys.