The mother of a teenage boy who died after taking part in the dangerous “choking game” has launched an emotional appeal to other children not to try the online craze.
Selina Booth found her 14-year-old son Jack Pickles dead in his bed after he was apparently inspired by videos on YouTube and other social media. In the wake of his tragic death, his mother is now trying to stop others from suffering the same fate by raising awareness of the game.
Mrs Booth, 37, warned: “They call it the ‘good boys game’ because it’s not taking drugs or alcohol. Don’t think it’s safe because it causes epileptic seizures, hemorrhages, memory loss and there are kids in comas because of it. If you are playing it now my message to you is to stop. Stop before it’s too late. Do you want it to be your mum who hugs clothes that you’re not in anymore just to smell you?”
“Jack loved YouTube,” Mrs Booth said. “I think that’s where he found that choking game. I would like a charity in Jack’s name so no other parents go through what I’m going through. I just need help in fundraising it and getting it there. I don’t want another kid going down as a suicide because of this game.”
While the choking game—also known by a variety of other names—has existed for decades, the Internet has apparently allowed it to spread more quickly. Seven British children are believed to have died while playing the game in the past five years, while the US government has previously estimated that it kills more than six children a year. An American study found that a fifth of 18-year-olds had tried the craze.
Now videos of the game are freely shared on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram, leading children around the world to try out the potentially fatal craze. Even if the game does not kill, it can cause severe brain damage which could leave victims requiring lifelong care.
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