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Texas boy hangs self; saw Saddam on TV
Posted: Sat Jan 06, 2007 3:34 pm
by southerngale
Omgosh....how horrible.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070105/ap_ ... ry_hanging
HOUSTON - A 10-year-old boy was apparently mimicking Saddam Hussein's execution when he hanged himself from a bunk bed, police and family members said.
Sergio Pelico was found dead Sunday in his apartment bedroom after watching a news report on the execution of the former Iraqi leader, said Webster Police Lt. Tom Claunch.
"Our gut reaction is that he was experimenting," Claunch said after officials spoke with family members. An autopsy of the fifth-grader's body was pending.
Julio Gustavo, Sergio's uncle, described the boy as happy and curious. He said Sergio had watched TV news with another uncle on Saturday and asked the uncle about Saddam's death.
"His uncle told him it was because Saddam was real bad," Gustavo said. "He (Sergio) said, 'OK.' And that was it."
"I don't think he thought it was real," Gustavo said. "They showed them putting the noose around his neck and everything. Why show that on TV?"
Sergio's mother, Sara Pelico DeLeon, was at work Sunday and her children were being watched by a relative when one of them found Sergio's body, Gustavo said.
Police said the boy had tied a slipknot around his neck while on a bunk bed. Sergio had been upset about not getting a Christmas gift from his father, police said, but they don't believe he intentionally killed himself. Gustavo said the boy's father lives in New Jersey.
Family members held a memorial for the boy Wednesday in the apartment complex activity center. Gustavo said the family is trying to put together enough money to send Sergio's body to Guatemala for burial.
Posted: Sat Jan 06, 2007 3:47 pm
by HarlequinBoy
Oh wow.. that's so sad and horrible.
Posted: Sat Jan 06, 2007 4:16 pm
by JonathanBelles
his relatives were not watching him enough.
Posted: Sat Jan 06, 2007 4:37 pm
by HarlequinBoy
The article said he was at a relative's.. I think.
Posted: Sat Jan 06, 2007 4:41 pm
by conestogo_flood
The boy obviously knew the concept of death and how that might be brought on by oneself.
He either didn't think it was going to kill him, or he wanted to die. But, the reason why is not known yet, but I've heard of suicide's of kids 9 and older. I had a very close friend who was 13 and shot herself.
Posted: Sat Jan 06, 2007 7:23 pm
by azsnowman
Personally, dealing with stuff like this on a weekly bases, this sounds to ME like a case of the "Choking game!" I've seen it all too often, kids think it's a game and in reality they're playing with death....pretty sad
Posted: Sat Jan 06, 2007 7:45 pm
by TexasStooge
How tragic!
I was told by my mom that young kids are like tape recorders and VCRs. Depending on any situation, watch your kids carefully, they might mock somthing you don't wanna see/hear.
Posted: Sat Jan 06, 2007 11:48 pm
by tropicana
yeah in a case like this, you can;t blame the television ...i mean..the images are gonna get out one way or the other... it is up to the parents to watch him more closely..or ensure he has the proper and reasonable supervision. Beyond that, they can't do much more..no one can watch a 10 year old kid 24 hours a day 365 days a week... its impossible and unreasonable. There is something called privacy...even for kids. So its true the parents can't take all the blame... i mean we are all responsible in some form or fashion for ourselves..even a 10 year old...just because something bad happens doesnt mean its somebody elses' fault all of the time.
Nevertheless...really really sad
Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2007 12:27 am
by CajunMama
fact789 wrote:his parents were not watching him enough.
Reread the article. His dad lives in NJ. His mom was at work. Another relative was watching him. At 10 years old i think it would be ok for him to go in his room without supervision.
Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2007 1:52 am
by Chacor
There was a similar incident in Pakistan. Police there arrested the parents, iirc.
Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2007 12:26 pm
by kevin
Erotic asphyxiation? I mean he is really young... but I know of a 13 year old who died on account of that.
Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 9:27 am
by gtalum
Has anyone nominated this kid for a
Darwin Award yet?