choking news stories on Newser

Teen Deaths Prompt Police Alert Over 'Choking Game'

Nick McMaster — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 13:36:40 CDT

The deaths of two teenage girls have prompted Chicago police to issue a warning about the "choking game"—asphyxiating oneself to gain a feeling of euphoria. Within just 2 weeks, the parents of Rebekah Toia, 15, and Angelena Ohanessian, 14, came home to find their children hanged. "I found her...

Twelve-Year-Old Kills Himself in 'Choking Game'

Thu, 29 Apr 2010 09:38:20 CDT

Police say a 12-year-old Southern California boy is dead after he apparently asphyxiated himself for thrills in the so-called "choking game." The boy died last week after tying a rope to his neck inside his home, the Santa Monica Police Department said yesterday. Officers found him in cardiac arrest, and...

The Hot Dog Needs a Redesign

Jane Yager — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 08:27:45 CST

Despite the warning labels, the leading culprit in children choking isn’t the toy with small parts; it’s the hot dog. "If you were to take the best engineers in the world and try to design the perfect plug for a child's airway, it would be a hot dog," says an...

Teen Choking Game Goes Viral

Emily Rauhala — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 07:40:32 CST

Videos showing teens strangling each other for fun have gone viral, offering young people step-by-step instructions on how to get high by squeezing the carotid artery to restrict the flow of oxygen to the brain. Medical experts say the practice, known as 'the pass out game" can lead to brain...

Chiefs' Gonzalez Saves Choking Man's Life

Katherine Thompson — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 12:32:54 CDT

Kansas City tight end Tony Gonzalez gained his most devoted fan in the middle of a quiet dinner in an Orange County, Calif., restaurant. When Ken Hunter began to choke at the next table, Gonzalez sprang into action, performing the Heimlich maneuver and saving the man's life, AP reports. "He...

US Stores Riddled With Unsafe Toys

Colleen Barry — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 03:22:00 CST

Despite massive recalls, hazardous toys still crowd US shelves, warn consumer watchdog organizations. Dozens of toys pose choking hazards, contain toxic chemicals, or use dangerously strong magnets, according to an annual toy survey by the US Public Interest Research Group released yesterday. Nine of 100 toys tested by the Center...

Airport Death Accidental, Autopsy Says

Zach Samalin — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 15:05:00 CST

The New York woman who died in police custody at the Phoenix airport last month accidentally hanged herself, a coroner's report says. The autopsy, released today, says Carol Anne Gotbaum had consumed prescription drugs and alcohol and was acutely intoxicated, the Arizona Republic reports. Police arrested and handcuffed Gotbaum, 45,...

Sonics Tap Carlesimo

Joseph Fasano — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 06:24:46 CDT

The Supersonics turned to the San Antonio bench for their new head coach, hiring P.J. Carlesimo yesterday, 8 years after he last held a top job. Carlesimo, best known for a 1997 altercation with Latrell Sprewell while both were with Golden State, will once again be trusted with fresh...