Harry Robinson, 13, had been enjoying an unexpected day off school due to snow earlier this year when his younger brother found him suspended from a shower rail by a dressing gown cord.
Charlie Robinson, 11, managed to cut him down but Harry was later pronounced dead in hospital.
An investigation later revealed children at the teenager’s school had been playing risk-taking games and an urgent letter was sent to parents.
The fad involves children filming themselves throttling themselves with a variety of props to achieve a ‘high’ and posting the results online. Sometimes they are with friends but often they are alone.
Essex and Thurrock coroner Caroline Beasley-Murray recorded a verdict of accidental death yesterday, saying: ‘There’s sufficient evidence before me to believe it was highly likely Harry was experimenting with the choking game and it’s gone terribly wrong. ‘There’s clearly national concern about this practice. It’s an extremely dangerous practice that children are engaging in – to say they are dicing with death is an understatement.
‘None of these children intend to kill themselves – there is no evidence Harry wanted to kill himself.
‘We need to educate them about the risk they are taking. We need to educate parents in what to look out for – the tell-tale signs.
‘The family wish to publicise these dangers so no other family has to go through what they have been through.’
Air Training Corps cadet Harry was a pupil at Notley High School in Braintree, Essex, where X-Factor star Olly Murs was a pupil, but it was closed on January 7 due to the weather.
Post published in: News
Fuc*#ng stupid lot we need to get them all to do it soon so as we ndon’t have to worry about it later when the fad goes away.